While local diners will find sukiyaki made with chicken, throughout Japan it is generally made with thinly sliced, well-marbled beef, except for Hokkaido, where lamb might be used. Achieving a salty-sweet balance is important. If made with seafood, more dashi would be added to dilute the soy sauce. Regional and seasonal vegetables are part of the dish. Shirataki, filaments of a starchy root known as devil's tongue or amorphophalus konjac, are always present in sukiyaki, soaking up the flavors of the sauce.
Green onions lend their color and flavor.
Finally a raw egg is always served with sukiyaki. Now here's how the chefs prepare it. Then the vegetables are added, one by one, soaking up the flavors of the sauce. Finally when the vegetables are half-cooked, the meat is added and cooked to your liking. Sugar is sprinkled over the meat, caramelizing in the hot pan along with the meat.