Chilled pork shabu-shabu salad (Reishabu sarada)

1. Put the pork loin in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up slightly, then slice paper-thin (2 mm) with a sharp knife.

2. Bring a pot of water to the boil with the sake, then lower the heat so the water barely simmers (about 80 °C).

3. Swish the pork slices one at a time in the water for 30-40 seconds until they just turn white, plunge into iced water, then drain well.

4. Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces, cut the tomatoes into wedges and the cucumber into thin strips; for the dressing, mix the toasted, mortar-ground sesame with the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar.

5. Pile the vegetables on a plate and arrange the cold pork slices on top.

6. Drizzle with the sesame dressing and serve cold.

Tip: "Rei-shabu" means cold shabu-shabu: the meat is cooked in barely simmering, not boiling, water so it stays tender. If the water bubbles too hard, the meat turns tough and dry.