“Nabe” literally means “cooking pot,” but it is also a name of a dish.

There are not very many strict rules about nabe recipes.

We just put vegetables, meat, fish, and whatever we like into a pot, along with our favorite soup stock.

Then we put it on a small portable stove on the table, and keep cooking until the food is stewed.

One nabe can be eaten by a whole family, and everyone helps themselves from the pot.

But even if you are alone, you can still enjoy nabe.

As for me, I often prepare a small pot for each person in my family, which I think is a good way to avoid eating too much!

And there is an extra pleasure you can expect after you have eaten up the food in the soup.

You put some rice or noodles into the remaining soup, which is called “shime” in Japanese.

“Shime” means the “last dish” of the meal. 

Rice or noodles cooked in the remaining soup will make you feel like you have started eating a new dish, which is really enjoyable!

This is definitely one of the standard dishes in winter in Japan!!!