Hot Pot Health: Uncovering The Oil Content In Chinese Hot Pot

Chinese hot pot is a social meal, often enjoyed with family or friends. It involves a pot of broth, placed on a heat source, in the centre of the table. Diners add raw ingredients to the broth, cooking them to their liking, before dipping them in a sauce of their choice.

The ingredients used in hot pot vary, but typically include thinly sliced meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and starches. The broth can also be customised, with popular options including mushroom, tomato, and spicy Sichuan.

Hot pot is a healthy meal, as boiling is a healthier alternative to frying, and the broth can absorb nutrients from the bones. It is also a great way to bring people together, as they gather around the pot to cook, eat, and socialise.

The history of Chinese hot pot

Chinese hot pot, also known as steamboat, is a dish that involves a heat source placed on the dining table that keeps a pot of soup stock simmering. It is accompanied by an array of raw Chinese foodstuffs and ingredients that diners can dip into the broth. The concept of hot pot is believed to date back more than 1,000 years, with some sources claiming it has been around for at least 1,700 years, or even 2,000 years. The first form of hot pot is thought to have appeared during the Shang and Zhou dynasties (approximately 1600-256 BC). The tripods of the Zhou dynasty may be the earliest prototypes of the hot pot. Diners among the nobility each had a personal bronze pot called a ran lu, which consisted of a small stove with a small pot above it for burning charcoal.

The emergence of copper pots during the Three Kingdoms period (200-280 AD) is generally acknowledged as the origin of the hot pot. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589), people gradually used hot pots for cooking, mainly preparing chicken and duck in the pots. Later, during the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols were influenced by hot pot culture and began to include beef and lamb.

In the early 18th century, during the Qing Dynasty, hot pot was featured in the royal cuisine of Emperor Kangxi and Qianlong. The Qianlong Emperor was very fond of hot pot and would eat it for almost every meal. The dish became popular throughout China, with each region adapting it to their local ingredients and tastes.

One of the most famous variations is the Chongqing or Sichuan hot pot, which features a dark-red broth filled with spices, chilli peppers, and the mouth-numbing Sichuan pepper. In Beijing and other northern regions, the hot pot broth tends to be milder. Over time, hot pot spread throughout China and became a staple dish, eaten all year round. Today, it can be found in various establishments, from street-side stands to formal indoor restaurants, and has also gained worldwide recognition.

The social aspect of Chinese hot pot

Chinese hot pot is a social meal, often shared with a close-knit group of family or friends. It is a bonding experience and a symbol of harmony and community. The dish is served communally, with a large pot of broth placed in the centre of the table, surrounded by various raw ingredients such as meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, dumplings, and noodles. Diners then cook their chosen ingredients in the broth and eat them with a dipping sauce.

Hot pot is a great leveller, as everyone can select their favourite ingredients and cook them to their preferred degree of doneness. It is also a highly customisable meal, with a variety of broths, sauces, and ingredients to choose from. This makes it ideal for those with different dietary preferences or restrictions.

The social aspect of hot pot is enhanced by the fact that it is served and cooked at the table, creating a fun and interactive dining experience. The meal is also a symbol of group identity and collective consciousness, reflecting the importance of food in Chinese culture. It is seen as a component of social gatherings and sharing, and is rarely eaten alone.

Hot pot is also a very popular choice for celebrations and family gatherings, as it is easy to prepare and allows guests to cook their own food. It is particularly well-suited to cold weather, as the pot of broth provides consistent warmth throughout the meal.

The health benefits of Chinese hot pot

Chinese hot pot is a flavourful broth served in a large metal pot. It is considered a main course and is usually served without rice or noodles on the side. It is a highly social meal, often shared with close-knit family or friends. It is also a very healthy meal, provided the right ingredients are chosen.

• A nutritious mix of ingredients: Chinese hot pot typically includes thinly sliced meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and starches. This mix of ingredients provides a range of nutrients, including protein, vitamins, and minerals.
• Vegetables: Chinese hot pot often includes a variety of vegetables, such as leafy greens, mushrooms, and root vegetables. These vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre.
• Lean protein: Hot pot often includes lean meats such as fish, seafood, and chicken. These proteins are a good source of essential amino acids and can be a healthier alternative to processed meats or red meats.
• Customisability: One of the unique features of Chinese hot pot is its customisability. Each person can choose their own ingredients and create their own dipping sauce. This allows individuals to cater to their specific dietary needs or restrictions.
• Social interaction: Chinese hot pot is often enjoyed with family or friends, promoting social interaction and a sense of community. Social connection is important for mental health and well-being.
• Digestive health: The variety of vegetables and fibres in Chinese hot pot can promote digestive health and a healthy gut.
• Immunity boost: The ingredients in Chinese hot pot, such as garlic, chilli, and vegetables, can boost immunity and provide antioxidant benefits.

The different types of Chinese hot pot

Chinese hot pot is a cooking method where a big pot of boiling broth is placed in the centre of a table with a heating element underneath. Various raw ingredients are served on plates around the pot, such as thinly sliced meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, dumplings, and noodles. The guests cook the ingredients in the broth and eat them with a dipping sauce. There are many different types of hot pot in China, varying by region. The primary difference between the different types of hot pot is the broth.

Northern Style

Northern-style hot pot is simpler and focuses more on meat, particularly mutton. The clear broth is the default type in northern China. It is made with simple ingredients such as water, scallions, ginger, peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and jujubes.

Southern Style

Southern-style hot pot tends to have spicy broths and complex dipping sauces, and are heavier on seafood, vegetables and mushrooms.

Yunnan Hot Pot

This type of hot pot is made with various wild or farmed mushrooms. It is called the Wild Mushroom hot pot. Due to the vast forests and abundant natural resources in Yunnan, people can find a wide variety of edible mushrooms. The mushroom hot pot is also seasonal, depending on the availability of local mushrooms.

Chongqing Hot Pot

One of the most famous Southern variations, Chongqing hot pot uses mala seasoning flavoured with chilli peppers and Sichuan pepper for a spicy and numbing flavour. Chongqing hotpots often feature a wide variety of different meats and ingredients, and offer many sauces and condiments to flavour the meat. The typical dipping sauce contains sesame oil and is mixed with crushed fresh garlic and chopped spring onions.

Sichuan Hot Pot

Sichuan hot pot is famous for its numbing and spicy flavour, resulting from the use of Sichuan pepper and other spicy ingredients like chilli. There are various types of Sichuan hot pot, based on different broths and meats, so it suits customers of different preferences.

Beijing Mutton Hot Pot

Also called mutton hot pot, this is regarded as the representative of northern China hot pots. The main ingredient is mutton, and the broth is made of nutritious sheep-bone stock, with shallots, ginger, mushrooms, Chinese dates, wolfberries, longans, and dried seafood.

Cantonese Hot Pot

A Cantonese variation includes mixing a raw egg with the condiments to reduce the amount of "heat" absorbed by the food, thereby reducing the likelihood of a sore throat after the steamboat meal, according to Chinese herbalist theories.

Taiwanese Hot Pot

In Taiwanese cuisine, it is very common to eat hotpot food with a dipping sauce consisting of shacha sauce and raw egg yolk with stir-fried beef.

The common ingredients in Chinese hot pot

Chinese hot pot is a highly customizable meal, with a variety of ingredients that can be used to cater to different preferences. Here is a list of some common ingredients used in Chinese hot pot:

Broths:

• Chicken broth
• Beef or pork bone broth
• Mushroom-based broth
• Tomato soup base
• Spicy Sichuan hot pot

Meat and Seafood:

• Thinly sliced beef
• Lamb
• Pork belly
• Fish fillets (tilapia, bass, flounder)
• Shrimp
• Fish balls
• Crab
• Clams
• Mussels

Vegetables:

• Napa cabbage
• Bok choy
• Leafy greens (baby bok choy, spinach, watercress)
• Mushrooms (shiitake, enoki, oyster)
• Potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Daikon radish
• Tomatoes
• Corn

Starches:

• Rice
• Noodles (rice noodles, glass noodles, udon)
• Dumplings
• Rice cakes

Soy Products:

• Tofu (silken, soft, firm)
• Soy puffs
• Bean curd sticks
• Fried tofu

Dipping Sauces:

• Sesame paste or sauce
• Peanut butter or peanut sauce
• Soy sauce
• Chinese BBQ sauce (Sha Cha)
• Sichuan peppercorn oil
• Chili garlic sauce
• Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Fried shallots or garlic

Frequently asked questions