Choose The Right Pot For Hot Pot Night

Hot pot is a fun and social way of eating. It's similar to fondue, but instead of cheese or hot oil, you have a pot of flavoured broth. The meal starts with the pot coming to a boil. Raw ingredients, such as meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and noodles, are then added and cooked in the bubbling broth.

To make hot pot at home, you'll need a portable heat source and a pot. You can use a butane or induction burner, or a two-in-one pot connected to an electric source. For the pot, a wide, shallow vessel is best so you can easily see and retrieve your ingredients.

You can use a regular pot if you don't have a specialised hot pot

Hot pot is a fun and social meal, perfect for a get-together with family or friends. It's also a great way to get kids to eat their veggies!

If you don't have a specialised hot pot, you can use a regular pot to make this delicious meal. A wide, relatively shallow pot is best. It's also important to have a portable heat source that can sit at the centre of your table. This could be an electric burner (coil or induction), a tabletop gas burner, or a butane heater.

You'll also need chopsticks, bowls, and small strainers for fishing food out of the pot.

The beauty of hot pot is that you can choose your own adventure when it comes to ingredients. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Broth

You can make your own broth from scratch, but it's also fine to use a store-bought stock or seasoning packet. Some popular options include:

• Japanese dashi with soy, sake, mirin, and a touch of sugar
• Chicken stock with soy sauce, shaoxing wine, toasted sesame oil, ginger, and scallions
• Red curry broth
• Thai coconut curry broth
• Beef broth with onion, red curry paste, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, and ginger

Meat and Seafood

• Thinly sliced beef, pork, chicken, or lamb
• Shrimp
• Crab
• Fish
• Meatballs
• Fish balls
• Squid
• Scallops

Vegetables

• Leafy greens (e.g. spinach, baby bok choy, napa cabbage, chrysanthemum greens, yu choy)
• Mushrooms (e.g. enoki, shiitake, oyster, king oyster)
• Root vegetables (e.g. potato, sweet potato, daikon, taro, lotus root, corn, kabocha squash)

Tofu and Soy Products

• Fried tofu
• Mini tofu puffs
• Medium-firm tofu
• Egg tofu
• Soy puffs
• Bean curd sticks
• Firm tofu
• Dried bean curd rolls
• Fresh tofu sheets

Noodles and Dumplings

• Udon
• Rice noodles
• Vermicelli
• Fresh spinach noodles
• Frozen dumplings
• Meatballs

Dipping Sauces

• Shacha (Chinese barbecue sauce)
• Sesame sauce
• Soy sauce
• Thai peanut sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Chinese sesame paste
• Hoisin sauce
• Sichuan peppercorn oil
• Chili garlic sauce
• Chinese black vinegar

A portable heat source is required to place the pot on

A portable heat source is required to place the hot pot on. There are two types of burners that offer the most control for an easy, frustration-free hot pot experience: a portable butane stove or a portable induction cooktop.

Portable Butane Stove

Butane burners are completely cordless, allowing for complete portability. They are also quieter than induction burners and can work with non-magnetic pots. A good butane burner is also relatively inexpensive and easy to use. Simply turn the dial and you're ready to start cooking. However, the biggest drawback of using a butane burner is having to procure butane canisters. You will likely use up at least one canister in a one- to two-hour cooking session, so it's recommended to have a backup or two on hand.

Portable Induction Cooktop

Induction burners are fast, safe, and more efficient than butane burners. They have a magnetic coil that generates heat directly in the pot, keeping the burner surface cool. They are also versatile and can be used for everyday cooking, especially on hotter days. However, induction burners require pots made of magnetic materials with completely flat bottoms. They also tend to be noisier than butane burners due to the built-in fan for cooling. Additionally, induction burners need to be plugged into a nearby outlet, which may require the use of an extension cord or surge protector.

Other Options

Other options for a portable heat source include electric hot pots, which are convenient for small spaces and can be used for various cooking functions like grilling, steaming, and slow cooking. However, they may not be as powerful or versatile as the butane or induction burners.

Ultimately, the choice between a butane burner and an induction burner depends on your preferences for factors such as portability, noise, pot compatibility, and ease of use.

Chopsticks are essential for eating hot pot

Chopsticks are an essential part of the hot pot experience. They are used to transfer food from the pot to your plate, and it is considered rude to rummage through the pot to find your food. You can also use chopsticks to place raw ingredients into the pot, but it is important to use a separate pair of chopsticks for eating to avoid cross-contamination.

Hot pot is a social and interactive meal, and the use of chopsticks is part of this experience. Diners gather around the pot and cook their food in the shared broth, using chopsticks to transfer their chosen ingredients into the pot and then onto their plates. It is important to have a secure grip on your food to avoid splashing your fellow diners with hot broth.

If you are a beginner with chopsticks, you can use a hot pot strainer to lower your food into the pot and then use chopsticks to eat. It is also possible to use tongs to place food into the pot.

Chopsticks are an integral part of Chinese culture and are used for sharing food, which is an expression of closeness and affection. However, the practice of sharing chopsticks has come under scrutiny due to health concerns, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some restaurants now provide public chopsticks for transferring food from the shared pot to individual plates.

You can use any type of broth as your base

Hot pot is a fun and social way of eating. It's a communal meal that involves a simmering pot of broth placed in the middle of the table, into which people add a variety of raw ingredients to cook. The ingredients can include meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and noodles.

The great thing about hot pot is that you can use any type of broth as your base. You can make your own broth from scratch or buy a pre-packaged hot pot base. If you're making your own, you can use chicken, pork, beef, mushroom, or tomato stock. You can also just use plain water.

If you want to make a spicy broth, you can add dried chili peppers, Sichuan pepper, and other spices like star anise and cassia cinnamon. For an extra kick of spice, you can include Sichuan chili bean paste. If you're going for a milder broth, you can add aromatics like scallions, onion, coriander, garlic, and ginger.

The beauty of hot pot is that you can customize it to your own taste. So feel free to experiment with different types of broth and ingredients to find your perfect combination!

Meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and noodles are the most common ingredients

Meat

Meat is a popular choice for hot pot, with thinly sliced beef and lamb being the best options as they cook quickly and are juicy and tender. Other good options include fatty beef slices (brisket or chuck), beef short ribs, leg of lamb, pork belly, pork shoulder or loin, chicken, and fish fillets. If you can't find pre-sliced meat, you can freeze the meat slightly and then slice it thinly yourself.

Seafood

Seafood is a common addition to hot pot, with shrimp and clams being particularly popular. Other options include squid, scallops, salmon, and various types of fish balls. If using clams, be sure to scrub them clean and purge them in water for 30 minutes before cooking. Shrimp should be salted, set aside for 15 minutes, and then rinsed to ensure a slightly bouncy texture.

Vegetables

A variety of vegetables can be used in hot pot, including leafy greens such as napa cabbage, chrysanthemum greens, spinach, pea tips, watercress, and bok choy. Be sure to wash and cut the vegetables into manageable pieces. Other options include lotus root, potato, sweet potato, pumpkin/kabocha squash, daikon radish, tomatoes, corn, and winter melon.

Tofu

Tofu is a must-have for hot pot as it soaks up all the flavors of the broth. Some options include frozen tofu, firm tofu, dried bean curd rolls, fresh tofu sheets/skin, and fried tofu puffs. Tofu can be added to the hot pot at any time as it can be eaten raw or cooked.

Noodles

Noodles are a popular choice for hot pot as they soak up the flavors of the broth. Some options include mung bean vermicelli, rice noodles, thin fresh white noodles, spinach noodles, shirataki noodles, rice cakes, and frozen dumplings. Be sure to prepare the noodles according to the package instructions before adding them to the hot pot.

Frequently asked questions