Royal Korean Hot Pot (Court-Style Beef & Tofu Banquet)

It was historically served in a dedicated brass vessel heated with charcoal at the center. This four-serving version uses a hot pot and preserves the characteristic organized presentation by keeping the ingredients in separate sections. Knead 220g ground beef with 200g mashed tofu until the mixture becomes cohesive, shape it into bite-size balls, and roll them in a pan over low heat to brown the outside. Place the meatballs in the center of the pot. Remove the stems from 100g shiitake and slice the caps thinly. Cut 80g carrot into flat half-moons or decorative shapes and 120g napa cabbage into 5cm lengths, then arrange them around the meatballs so their colors remain distinct. Mix 1.5 tablespoons soup soy sauce into 1100ml beef broth, pour it into the pot, and bring it up over medium heat. Skim away the foam that rises as the ingredients cook. The egg is not beaten into this broth. Separate one egg, cook the yolk and white as two thin sheets, julienne them, and lay the yellow and white strips over the assembled hot pot as a garnish. Cover after adding the egg strips and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve when the meatballs and vegetables have cooked through and the broth has settled to a golden brown. Keep the meatballs bite-size so their centers cook evenly within the allotted time.