Skillet-Quick Sukiyaki

Copyright 1994 Miami Herald
Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information Services

By Linda Gassenheimer
Knight-Ridder Newspapers

In Japan, sukiyaki is a one-dish meal made right at the table. It's a great dinner for when
you're in a hurry, because the cooking can be done in 5 minutes.

Prepare all the ingredients in advance by boiling the noodles and cutting and arranging
the remaining ingredients on a platter in order of use. Then bring the colorful plate to
the table and cook. Everyone can enjoy the aromas as the food cooks and you can enjoy
the conversation. An electric frying pan or wok works well here.

Or, if you prefer, simply prepare the dish in the kitchen and serve on individual plates.
The meat and vegetables are quickly cooked so they remain crisp, and are well-flavored
with the sauce. Remove from the pan and serve immediately for freshest taste.

Rice-flour noodles are traditional for this dish. They're very thin, translucent noodles.
Not all supermarkets carry them, so I have called for Chinese noodles or angel hair
pasta. Fresh Chinese noodles can be found in the produce section of most markets, and
dried ones are located in the Chinese food section. In either case, they only need a few
minutes to cook.

This meal has 675 calories, with 29 percent of them from fat.

Fred Tasker's wine suggestions: With pungent flavors like these I like a fruity red wine
like pinot noir or beaujolais. Or, since you're cooking with sherry, you could have a
glass of sherry with it.



SUKIYAKI (Japanese Beef and Soy Sauce)
(Serves 2)

1/4 cup defatted low-salt chicken stock
2 tablespoons low-salt soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon dry sherry
1/4 pound Chinese noodles or angel hair pasta
3/4 pound sirloin, flank or skirt steak
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 medium onion, sliced, about 2 cups
2 stalks celery, sliced, about 1 cup
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced, about 1&1/2 cups
5 ounces fresh spinach, about 6 cups
4 scallions, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper 

Place a large saucepan of water for noodles on to boil. Mix chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar
and sherry together in a small bowl, stirring to make sure the sugar dissolves. Boil
noodles 2 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and place on 2 dinner
plates.

Remove fat from the steak and cut into strips about 4 inches long and 1 inch wide and
reserve. Heat sesame oil in a nonstick skillet or electric frying pan. Add onion and celery
and cook 3 minutes. Add meat and cook 2 minutes, constantly tossing the ingredients in
the pan. Add half of the chicken stock mixture and stir. Add mushrooms and cook 30
seconds. Add spinach, scallions and remaining sauce and cook 30 seconds, stirring
constantly. Season with pepper to taste. Remove from the pan and serve over noodles.
Spoon all the sauce over the top.



TO BUY

3/4 pound sirloin, flank or skirt steak
1 small bunch celery
1/4 pound mushrooms
1 10-ounce bag washed fresh spinach (5 ounces needed)
1 small bunch scallions
1 small package Chinese noodles or angel hair pasta

STAPLES
low-salt chicken stock
low-salt soy sauce
sugar
dry sherry
sesame oil
onion
black peppercorns