“I’m on a diet so I really do need the exercise to walk that extra mile 

to the grocery store and replenish our supply of chocolates.”

Thanks Karen for granting me a chocolate fix! 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/532/08_0801-_Truffles

What better way to miss the Chris Daughtry Live in Manila concert happening in Libis?  Attend the Healthy Shabu Shabu event and engage your appetite to healthy and delicious food!  That is precisely what I did this evening.  Looking for something to warm me up for tomorrow and a good bowl (or more) of hot soup absolutely did the trick. 

When one hears Shabu Shabu, one thinks no frills cooking.  Dump everything in hot water without using an iota of brain cell.  One only needs a drop of brain juice to realize not to stick the searing beef from the hot pot straight to a salivating mouth… I ran out of brain juice.

Now my tongue is numb from scorching it with hot spicy yummy broth.  But before it went numbed and stricken with oversized dots, it was a very happy digestive organ.

Candy Hwang, the woman behind Healthy Shabu Shabu, developed the art of eating Shabu Shabu.  The process begins with choosing the items on your Shabu Shabu platter –veggies, seafood, beef, and lamb as the main options. 

Nutritious veggie platter is always a staple in most shabu shabu meal along with 2 different servings of fresh homemade noodles, the fat and thin of noodles, vermicelli and egg noodle.  This includes Taiwan and Baguio petchay, beancurd, yam, black mushrooms and carrots.  For meat options, chicken, thinly sliced lamb and Angus beef are available.  A healthier alternative is a seafood platter that includes shrimps, fish cutlets, abalone and oysters.

The second phase centers on the soup base.  A small gadget under the right side of the table shows temperature options.  Place the temperature to the boiling point of 150 degrees.  When the water starts producing big bubbles, it signifies the start of the cooking process.  It is vital to know which ingredients go in first.  The sweet corn, yam and fat noodles take the plunge first since it takes longer for them to cook.  For the sauce, Healthy Shabu Shabu provides a special barbecue sauce, chopped garlic, onion, chili, special sauce base and spices.  Simply mix the sauce, chili, garlic, and onion into the special sauce base.  Diners may opt to add egg yolk in the special sauce to make it richer.  You can opt to put half of the spices in the soup.

The key to the best shabu shabu experience is learning how to boil the ingredients without overcooking them.  It helps that you do not crowd the pot with so many items.  You also want to build up the flavor of the broth by knowing which ingredients to put first.  Crabs, shrimps, lobsters make the broth richer in flavor so that should be one of the first items.

Vermicelli noodles, leafy vegetables, carrots, beancurd, meatballs should not be left boiling for more than 30 seconds.  Candy Hwang advises that the vegetable ingredients of this savory meal are best served crunchy and not overcooked.

Phase 3 focuses on the meat part of the meal.  The meat of the fish may follow but make sure not to leave it boiling for 5-10 minutes.  Spreading beaten raw egg on top of the meat tenderizes the beef of your choice.  After doing so, add the meat in the pot during the boiling point.  After 20-40 seconds, let the meat cool down in the sauce and enjoy.  The lamb and Angus beef meat that was served were absolutely fantastic -tender and flavorful.  I could eat a dozen slices without the sauce.

Healthy Shabu Shabu is a fun, safe, healthy and interactive way of dining that utilizes state-of-the dining facilities and equipment. 

Healthy Shabu Shabu Branches: Powerplant Mall -898.3979/895.6300  The Podium -914.1028-29 SM Mall of Asia -556.0354-55 Robinsons Galleria -633.1979/632.1634 SM North The Block -442.0036-37 Alabang Town Center -850.6633/850.6976Robinsons Midtown -526.2981/529.3983Shangri La Plaza Mall 910.3272/632.7532 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/528/08_0729-_Healthy_Shabu_Shabu_Event