Instructions: Do too many cooks spoil the broth? Although its a traditionally held notion, Japanese people might challenge you on this one, especially when it comes to nabemono, their national hot pot fare.

For nabemono, pots of boiling hot stock and sauces provide a savory cooking medium for fresh Japanese herbs, vegetables, tofu and marbled meats - all cooked communally at the table.

When I lived in Japan, nabemono-style dishes were my very favorites among Japanese cuisine. So when I visited my dad in Japan last spring, a nabemono dish was among my dinner requests. I specifically asked for shabu-shabu, which consists of thinly sliced beef and pork with an array of vegetables that you cook in a simmering watery broth.

My dad obediently trotted off to the suupaa, or supermarket, to buy our ingredients. Dad used to be a chef, and over the course of 13 years of living in Japan, he has made shabu-shabu many times. But once he found himself in the vegetable aisle, his nosy nature took over, as did his desire to prepare the dish in an authentic way. He asked the Japanese woman standing next to him, How do you make shabu-shabu?

She timidly gave him her answer and then said, But, wait a minute. Let me see, and she turned to another Japanese woman standing nearby. How do you make shabu-shabu? she asked.

Woman No. 2 gave her answer, and the two of them collaborated, in search of the one true way to make the dish. They were still a bit unsure, so they both went to the Japanese greengrocer.

How do you make shabu-shabu? they asked, and soon many Japanese were embroiled in a painstaking committee meeting about how to prepare this dish authentically. Each had his or her own variations, but all felt there must be one exact way, as Japan is a land steeped in tradition.

Dad came home with what he thought to be a cross section of their methods, and we set out to have a traditional experience.

In Japan, these at table meals are not elevated restaurant fare. Rather, they are a typical menu for a family dinner, bringing everyone together to take the edge off of winters chill. Using spindly, shiny chopsticks, they dip thin slices of beef into the steaming hot pot in the middle of the table. They cook and eat heartily, with huge platters of food surrounding them, queuing up for the pot.

Each persons contribution to the group cooking effort serves to draw him or her deeper into the social interaction. The food weaves its web of warmth, familiarity and charm.

It would be a shame to leave these social and culinary experiences in Japan.

It is time we adopted nabemono into our own culture, embracing the dishes for their ease and sociability.

Asian hot pot meals in general are making steady inroads into the United States; with many of the variations, you are free to throw any of your favorite Asian ingredients into hot stock and cook them up. But there is also something to be said for experiencing traditional dishes with their timeless ingredient combinations, and a few such Japanese meals are standouts to me. In addition to shabu-shabu, the dish called sukiyaki is well-loved. In fact, sukiyaki is called the friendly pot because it is so popular with foreigners who visit Japan.

These two famous dishes each take their own type of pot.

In addition, there are a host of other nabemono combinations that are cooked

In a unique earthenware pot. However, you need not invest in special cookware unless you want to.

Once youve purchased your ingredients, youre ready. These recipes require little preparation time. You can be extremely casual about the whole thing, or go the extra mile and get out your favorite serving platters and your best sake.

Each of these dishes is prepared using a portable gas burner at the table for the cooking heat source. It is also possible to use a single electric burner, taking care to use extension cords and keep them contained and out of the way.

Any nabemono dishes go well with steamed rice, Japanese beer or sake, and tsukemono (Japanese pickles).

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