Shabu-shabu mutton has become a universally loved delicacy in our country.

The legend of mutton-shabu-shabu originated in the Yuan Dynasty, when Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, led the army on an expedition south. One day, when he was sleepy and hungry, he suddenly remembered the dish of his hometown - mutton stew, so he ordered his men to kill the sheep and make a fire. When the cook was slaughtering the sheep and cutting the meat, he suddenly encountered an enemy. The chef quickly cut off more than ten thin slices of meat with a flying knife, stirred it for a few times in boiling water, and when the color of the meat changed, he immediately took it into a bowl and sprinkled it with fine salt. Kublai Khan ate several bowls, mounted his horse and led his army to meet the enemy, and he won the victory. From then on, "hotpot mutton" became a palace delicacy.

How did this delicacy become popular among the people? It is said that it was not until the Guangxu period that the old shopkeeper of a mutton restaurant in Beijing bribed an eunuch and stole the seasoning recipe for "mutton-boiled" from the palace. This delicacy was spread to the people and sold in famous urban restaurants. It became an ordinary dish. People enjoy it. It has been passed down to this day, and people have evolved into various versions of hotpot mutton, becoming one of people's favorite delicacies on the table.

Shabu-shabu mutton, a Beijing-style diet, is also rich in nutritional value. "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that mutton is beneficial to essence and qi, cures fatigue, nourishes lung and kidney qi, nourishes the heart and lungs, relieves heat and toxins, and moisturizes the skin. In the "Compendium of Materia Medica" written by Xu Xu in the Tang Dynasty, it was recorded that "anything cooked with mutton can be replenished."

Many people believe that the essence of shabu-shabu ingredients, mutton, and vegetables is concentrated in the mutton-shabu-shabu pot. It is very delicious and nutritious. In fact, it is quite the opposite. When the same pot of soup is boiled repeatedly at high temperatures, some nutrients are not only destroyed, but also some substances harmful to the body are formed. The soup is actually steamed after being boiled for many times. The steamer water for steamed buns is the same, and it is common knowledge that everyone does not drink the steamer water.