The Ultimate Can Plus Hot Pot Experience In Shanghai

Shanghai is known for its hot pot restaurants, especially during the winter months. One of the most famous hot pot restaurants in Shanghai is Hai Di Lao, which offers excellent service and delicious food. The restaurant provides various free services to customers while they wait, such as snacks, fruit, and even manicures and shoe shines. Other popular hot pot spots include Hong Chang Xing Mutton Hotpot, the oldest halal restaurant in Shanghai, and Little Sheep Hot Pot, which serves premium lamb dishes.

Shanghai's best hot pot restaurants

Hot pot is a great way to warm up during the winter in Shanghai. The dish, which involves cooking vegetables, thinly sliced meats, and other ingredients in a boiling soup, has been around for nearly 2,000 years.

Hai Di Lao

This popular hot pot chain from Sichuan is known for its spicy hot pot and excellent service. While waiting for a table, customers are offered free fruit, manicures, shoe shines, and other perks. There are several locations in Shanghai, including:

• Wuzhong Road branch: No. 1100, Wuzhong Road, Minhang District
• Longming Road Branch: 3F, Gumei Life Shopping Plaza, No. 58, Lane 1300, Longming Road, Minhang District
• Shanghai Pudong Branch: 6F, ZhongRong Hengrui International Plaza, No. 588, Zhangyang Road, Pudong New Area
• Huashan Road Branch: 5F, Bailian Xuhui Shopping Center, No. 2068, Huashan Road, Xuhui District

Hong Chang Xing Mutton Hotpot

Hong Chang Xing is one of the oldest halal hot pot restaurants in Shanghai, having opened in 1891. The restaurant is known for its instant-boiled mutton, boiled in plain water and then dipped in a sauce of peanut butter, preserved bean curd, and caraway. Other locations include:

• North Guangxi Road Branch: 10F, No. 288, North Guangxi Road, Huangpu District (near East Nanjing Road)
• South Yunnan Road Branch: No. 1, South Yunnan Road, Huangpu District (near the end of East Yan’an Road)
• Meiluocheng Branch: 6F, Meiluocheng Shopping Mall, No. 1111, Zhaojiabang Road

Coconut Taste

This trendy Hainan-style hot pot restaurant uses a base of chicken boiled with coconut milk, resulting in a rich and slightly sweet broth. The modern interior and unique dipping sauce made with soy sauce, red chili, and calamansi juice also make this a popular choice.

Yan Gege

Founded by prominent Hong Kong actor and animal rights activist Lü Songxian, this vegetarian Beijing-style hot pot restaurant showcases the beauty of produce and clear vegetable broths. Be sure to try the fresh tofus and the wide variety of mushrooms with their purported medicinal properties.

Little Sheep Hot Pot

With more than 28 branches in Shanghai, Little Sheep is a popular Inner Mongolian-style hot pot restaurant. The restaurant is known for its top-quality lamb and broths made with medicinal herbs and spices.

The history of hot pot

Hot pot, or hotpot, is a dish that involves cooking food in a simmering pot of flavoured broth. It is typically a communal meal, shared with friends and family.

Hot pot is thought to have originated in Mongolia around 800-900 years ago, although some sources suggest it dates back as far as the Shang and Zhou dynasties (1600-256 BC). The first hot pots were used by Mongolian horsemen and soldiers, who cooked meat in broth over open fires, sometimes using their helmets as cooking vessels.

During the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD), copper pots were introduced, which are now considered the earliest prototypes of the hot pot. The dish became popular in northern China during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589), when most people used it to cook chicken and duck.

Over time, hot pot spread throughout China, with distinct regional variations developing. The most famous variation is Chongqing hot pot, which is known for its liberal use of spicy Sichuan peppers. Other variations include Cantonese hot pot, which features more seafood, and Beijing-style hot pot, which is simpler, with ginger and scallions providing flavour.

In the 14th century, hot pot became popular among emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the Qing dynasty, the Qianlong Emperor was particularly fond of hot pot, eating it for almost every meal.

Today, hot pot is enjoyed all over the world, with restaurants serving the dish in major cities across the globe.

The best hot pot base

A good hot pot base is key to a delicious hot pot. Here are some of the best hot pot bases to try:

Sichuan Spicy Broth

This is a classic choice for hot pot. The broth is made with a concentrated, flavourful soup base and water or stock. The key ingredients are dried chilli peppers and Sichuan pepper, which give the broth its signature mouth-numbing and spicy taste. Other ingredients include beef tallow, star anise, cassia cinnamon, bay leaves, Chinese black cardamom, scallions, onion, coriander, garlic, ginger, and fermented black beans. This broth has a strong aroma and a distinctive taste.

Chicken Stock Mild Broth

This is a light and easy-to-prepare option for hot pot. It can be made with just water, scallions, and ginger, or with a more flavourful stock made from chicken, pork, beef, mushroom, or tomatoes. For extra flavour, add shiitake mushrooms, scallions, Chinese dates, and Goji berries. This broth is perfect for those who don't like spicy food but still want a tasty and healthy option.

Coconut Milk Broth

For a rich and slightly sweet hot pot experience, a coconut milk broth is a great choice. This trendy option is usually paired with chicken and vegetables, creating a unique and tasty combination. The dipping sauce is also a highlight, made with soy sauce, red chilli, and calamansi juice. This hot pot base provides a modern and atmospheric dining experience.

Beijing-Style Lamb Broth

Beijing-style hot pot features a simple lamb broth, often bolstered by goji berries and jujubes. The traditional pot for this style has a unique design, resembling a donut with a chimney stack in the middle where hot coals keep the soup boiling. This hot pot base provides a traditional and authentic dining experience.

Herbal Mushroom Broth

For a vegan option, an herbal mushroom broth is a tasty and healthy choice. This broth is umami-rich and flavourful, and also serves as a welcome palate cleanser when served alongside a spicy broth. This hot pot base is a great option for those who want a meat-free and refreshing dining experience.

The best hot pot fillings

Hot pot is a highly customizable meal, with endless combinations of fillings and broths. Here are some ideas for hot pot fillings to get you started:

Meat and Seafood

Beef, lamb, and seafood are among the most popular foods to cook in a hot pot. For meat, go for paper-thin slices of fatty beef, lamb, pork loin, or pork belly. Chicken is also a good option, especially the breast and thigh. Slice the meat and leave it as is, or marinate it in a splash of rice wine with salt, white pepper, and julienned ginger. For seafood, try shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab, oysters, clams, mussels, abalone, or geoduck. Fish such as halibut, salmon, monkfish, or bass are also great options, sliced into quarter-inch thick pieces.

Meatballs

Meatballs are a must-try, especially Asian-style tendon meatballs, which have a bouncier texture than Western-style meatballs. You can also find fish, shrimp, lobster, or cuttlefish meatballs at most Asian supermarkets.

Offal

Offal is a popular choice for hot pot, especially in Sichuan. Try beef tripe, pork intestine, tongue, kidney, or liver, thinly sliced and marinated in rice wine, salt, white pepper, and ginger.

Tofu and Tofu Puffs

Regular, firm, soft, or pressed tofu are all great options for hot pot. Cut them into cubes or slices, or use a strainer to hold soft tofu so it doesn't break apart in the broth. Fried tofu puffs are another tasty addition.

Mushrooms

Add some shiitake, portobello, button, maitake, enoki, or shimeji mushrooms to your hot pot. Remove the stems from large mushrooms like portobellos and shiitakes, and cut them in half. Smaller mushrooms with edible stems, like shimeji, can be left whole and cooked for just a minute or so.

Root Vegetables

Root vegetables like daikon, carrots, lotus root, potatoes, yams, taro, or radishes are great for adding texture and flavor to your hot pot. Cut them into thin slices or two-inch chunks, which can be left to simmer in the broth to add flavor.

Greens and Other Vegetables

Leafy greens like watercress, Chinese spinach, snow pea leaves, lettuce, or chrysanthemum greens add color and nutrition to your hot pot. Heartier greens like rapeseed vegetable, Napa cabbage, or baby bok choy can also be added, cut into halves or quarters. Other vegetables like corn, winter melon, kabocha squash, or tomatoes will also work well.

Noodles

Noodles are a popular choice to round out your hot pot. Try ho fun (wide white noodles), needle noodles (transparent and shaped like thick needles), rice stick noodles, yam noodles, or fresh handmade noodles.

Remember, the beauty of hot pot is that you can customize it to your liking. Get creative and enjoy your hot pot feast!

The best hot pot dipping sauces

Hot pot is a popular dish in Shanghai, especially during the winter months. It's a social and interactive dining experience where guests cook their own vegetables, meats, and other ingredients in a boiling soup. While hot pot is delicious on its own, dipping sauces are essential to elevate the flavours of the dish. Here are some of the best hot pot dipping sauces to try:

Spicy Garlic Hot Sauce

A classic combination of garlic and chilli, this sauce adds a spicy kick to your hot pot. The addition of Korean red chilli flakes and Sichuan pepper provides a unique twist to the traditional spicy sauce.

Creamy Garlic Sesame Sauce

For garlic lovers, this sauce is a dream come true. The sesame paste and black vinegar create a creamy, nutty base, while the dashi powder adds a savoury punch. It's the perfect balance of flavours and textures.

Taiwanese Shacha Sauce

This sauce is a ready-made explosion of flavours, including chilli, garlic, shallots, and shrimp. It's a must-have for hot pot enthusiasts, adding a savoury and slightly spicy kick to your meal. The Taiwanese version is especially popular, with its unique blend of ingredients.

Light Sesame Soy Sauce

A simple yet delicious sauce, this combination of sesame oil, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, and spring onion is perfect for those craving an Asian-inspired dish. The addition of sesame seeds provides a crunchy texture that takes the sauce to the next level.

Chilli Oil Vinegar Dip

Chilli oil is the star of this dip, adding a wonderful flavour and spice to the dish. This dip is perfect for those who want a kick of heat with their vegetables and meat. It's easy to prepare and can be made at home by heating oil and adding chilli flakes.

Honey Miso Dip

This dip is a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and savoury. The combination of honey and miso creates a unique flavour that enhances the taste of the hot pot ingredients. It's an easy-to-make sauce that adds a gourmet touch to your meal.

These dipping sauces will surely enhance your hot pot experience and impress your guests. Don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients and create your own unique sauce combinations!

Frequently asked questions