Based on the handwritten notes, this appears to be a recipe handed out for a community function, maybe a church party? The recipe is written out step by step, clearly for people who are unfamiliar with the Japanese nabemono (hot pot) style of cooking. The word sukiyaki translates as suki (spade) and yaki (meat), and old folk tales suggest that the meat was cooked on a hot spade. Hopefully it was clean. Written above the title of this recipe is “slice & fry” which is not the translation of the word. Scratched out is “as you like” which is also not what the word means.

There are two predominant types of sukiyaki found in Japan, basically eastern and western Japan. In the eastern tradition (where Tokyo is located) the ingredients are stewed in the sauce before being combined, and in the western tradition (where Osaka and Kyoto are located) the meat is cooked by itself in the tallow, then combined with everything else. Both western and eastern tradition frequently use tofu, negi scallions, leafy vegetables, mushrooms and a variety of different noodles. While sukiyaki dates back many hundreds of years in Japan, it was influenced in the 1860s by Westerners who brought beef cattle to Japan, and since that time beef and sometimes pork is used as well.

This appears to be an Americanized version of the western Japanese sukiyaki tradition. One part of the sukiyaki tradition has been omitted from the recipe: the raw egg to dip the meat and vegetables into before eating.Thank goodness! If you use tamari in place of the soy sauce, this would be a delicious gluten free meal, and with no meat, also vegetarian.

Sukiyaki (Mrs Medowski) Serves 8

2 lbs rib steak – Machine slice to bacon-thin

1 bunch green onions – Cut into 1″ lengths

1 can sukiyaki-no-tomo – Drain water, cut into small pieces

6 stalks celery – Cut into 1/2″ lengths

2 onions – Slice into small pieces

1 can bean sprouts – Drain water

Sukiyaki sauce – Mix the following: 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 3 TBS wine

1 1/2 cups rice

Cooking

A.

1) Heat skillet to 260 F

2) Melt beef tallow

3) Fry onion and meat

4) Add sukiyaki sauce

5) Add vegetables and sukiyaki-no-tomo

6) If needed add water

7) cook 20-30 min mixing frequently

B.

1) Cook rice