Rei Shabu
冷しゃぶ·(rei-shabu)
LUNCH
Rei shabu is hot pot stripped of the heat and the waiting. Boiling the meat hard is a culinary tragedy that turns sweet pork fat into a waxy, unpalatable mess, so instead, drop the water temperature just below a simmer to cook the paper-thin pork belly gently until the slices remain luxuriously tender. Keep a metal spider handy to plunge the pork into an ice bath just until the fat firms up, then serve it over crisp greens and move straight to the creamy sesame dressing shaken up in a mason jar to hit your keto macros in under ten minutes.
Per serving: NET CARBS: 4.5 g Total carbs: 7.5 g | Fiber: 3.0 g | Sugar alcohols: 4.0 g Fat: 42 g | Protein: 24 g Calories: ~510
Ingredients
- shabu-shabu pork belly10 oz
- sake1 tbsp
- mixed delicate greens4 cup
- cucumber1/2 med
- scallions2 med
- tahini2 tbsp
- sugar-free mayonnaise2 tbsp
- unseasoned rice vinegar2 tbsp
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- allulose1 tbsp
- warm water1 tbsp
- fresh ginger1 tsp
Method
- 01
Boil and temper the water.
Boil 4 cups of water in an electric kettle to save time, pour it into a pot, and kill the heat. Stir in the sake and a half-cup of cold tap water to drop the temperature to 175°F (80°C).
- 02
Swish the pork.
Working in two batches, drop the thinly sliced pork into the hot water and gently agitate it with chopsticks for 30 to 45 seconds, just until opaque.
- 03
Rest at room temperature.
Pull the pork immediately and spread it out on a paper-towel-lined plate. Let it cool naturally without shocking it in ice water.
- 04
Shake the dressing.
Throw the tahini, mayonnaise, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, allulose, warm water, and grated ginger into a small jar. Shake violently for 15 seconds until fully emulsified.
- 05
Assemble the salad.
Divide the greens and cucumber half-moons between two plates. Drape the cooled pork over the top, scatter the scallions, and serve with the dressing generously drizzled over everything.
Notes
Why this swap?
Traditional goma-dare relies on refined sugar for sweetness, pushing the carb count up to 10g per serving. Swapping it for allulose keeps the authentic sweet-and-savory balance intact but saves you about 8g of net carbs per serving.
Technique Tip: The 80-Degree Rule.
Boiling water violently seizes meat proteins, leaving them tough and dry. Dropping the temperature to 175°F cooks the thin meat instantly but gently. Skipping the Western ice-bath myth prevents the dense pork fat from hardening into a gritty texture.
Label Check: Commercial Dressings.
Pre-made roasted sesame dressings are notorious for hidden sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and cheap soybean oil. Making this jar-shaken version takes fifteen seconds and protects your macros with clean fats.
Sourcing the Meat.
Look for "shabu-shabu pork" or "hot pot pork" in the freezer section of an Asian grocer. If unavailable, ask your local butcher to shave a piece of fatty pork shoulder on their deli slicer as thin as possible; lean loin will dry out.
From Keto 10 Minute Meals.