As much as we see and hear about its properties as "natural refrigerant, anticancer agent, and cholesterol combatant," many Westerners are at a bit of loss when it comes to including more of it in our diets. Sure, we may add soy milk to our chai lattes or pop some edamame at a Japanese restaurant. We may experiment with grilled tofu, but in the end, there is often the complaint that tofu is just so bland. Ah, but that is the beauty of tofu - because it's so bland, it's the perfect canvas for other flavors, much like a slice of bread or filet of very mild fish. At the same time, many people simply enjoy the faint tofu flavor. Tofu is versatile, and according to an article over at the Japan Times, there's a lot more that can be done with soy, particularly because it comes in so many forms, only one of which if tofu:

• Tofu somen are delicate, thin strands of tofu that could easily be mistaken for regular wheat noodles
• Abura-age and atsu-age are deep-fried tofu, which can be added to miso soup
• Momen dofu is firm, which is good for stir-fries or prepared as tofu steak
• Zarudofu and yosedofu are very soft versions. Both are somewhat sweet so simply serve with top-quality olive oil and sea salt, or a garnish of grated ginger, mustard, or soy sauce.
• Yukiko Hayashi, author of the cookbook Tofu Zanmai, also recommends cooking/baking with soy milk.

Say "Japanese food" and right away, most people will think of sushi, perhaps immediately followed by tempura, teriyaki, and ramen. Increasingly, people are also becoming familiar with kushiyaki, the assortment of grilled, skewered foods that are traditionally served as "bar-snacks." However, there's another Japanese cuisine, shabu shabu.

The words "shabu shabu" roughly translates to "swish swish," as that is the way food is cooked: diners briefly swish paper-thin slices of raw meat and chopped fresh vegetables in a pot of boiling water to cook them. It's similar to fondue in that diners are "dipping" foods in a liquid in front of them, and similar also to Korean barbecue, where diners are essentially grilling the meat themselves at the table. Sometimes each individual diner has their own pot of boiling water, and other times, an entire table of diners share a community pot in the center of the table.

Once the meat or vegetable is cooked, it is dipped in a light, thin ponzu sauce, or a thick, sweet sesame sauce. An entire meal usually includes a plate of vegetables, tofu, noodles, and some sort of meat: thinly-sliced ribeye, chicken, or seafood like lobster, crab or other shellfish. 

There are quite a few Japanese shabu shabu places:

Central:

• Shabu Shabu House, 127 Japanese Village Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 680-3890
• Kushi Shabu, 123 Onizuka St Ste 305, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 621-0210

Westside:

• Mizu 212, 2000 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025, (310)478-8979
• Shabu Hachi, 11680 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064, (310) 479-7537

East

• Lee's Shabu, 18438 Colima Rd Ste 318, Rowland Heights, CA
• Dai Kei Sushi and Shabu, 708 E Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776, (626) 285-5701

South and OC

• Shabu Shabu Gyushintei, 24631 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA, 90505, (310) 326-2438
• Koji's Shabu Shabu, @ the Block@Orange, Orange, CA 92868 (714) 769-0200
• California Shabu Shabu, 18908 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, (714) 963-8844   

Let's just say that you already have steamed white rice leftover from the big pot you made Sunday, on purpose, to help you throughout the hectic week. Then all you have to do is fry the tofu "cutlets" and make the curry. Since I have never ever made Asian style curry from anything but the golden S & B box, this is fast and easy.

Follow the directions on the box of curry. There, you made the curry. I always like spinach, mushrooms, and onions. You add whatever vegetables you would like. (This may sound like a vegan recipe, but be warned - many of the boxed Japanese curry mixes are made with animal fats).

Slice firm tofu into "cutlets." There is no need to dip in egg since they are already full of water. Dredge them in Japanese panko bread crumbs, then fry in about a half-inch of oil on each side until the breadcrumbs are lightly golden brown. No need to worry about "fully-cooking" the tofu. One block of tofu can serve one if you're a tofu-glutton, and four if you learned ho to share.

Technically, it's not risotto, since it's made from the Asian short grain rice, but it has a similar texture. I used already-steamed white rice (which means they could be leftovers), and cooked it on the stove top with green tea, similar to the way one makes jook or congee, but with less liquid.

All the rest is very fast and easy. Saute whatever mushrooms are available with butter (or you can leave the butter out and make it vegan!) and soy sauce. I used brown mushrooms, plain white mushrooms, and Japanese enokis. I sliced the tofu into fairly thick "steaks," then simply seared them in the same pan as the mushrooms. No need for any heavy sauce, since you want to be able to taste the faintly delicate green tea in the rice. If you have black sesame seeds, they make a pretty garnish.