The Perfect Hot Pot Portion: Ordering Guide

Ordering hot pot can be a daunting task, especially for first-timers. The interactive and highly customisable nature of the dish means that there are countless combinations of ingredients and flavours to choose from. However, the key to a great hot pot lies in the variety of your spread.

When ordering hot pot, it is important to consider the type of broth, meats, seafood, vegetables, and starches that you want. For the broth, you can choose between a mild or spicy option, or even a yin yang option to try two varieties at once. Popular choices include chicken broth, tom yum, ma-la, and mushroom soup.

For meats, thinly sliced beef is a popular choice as it cooks quickly, usually within 10 to 30 seconds. Other options include chicken, lamb, and pork belly. If you're feeling adventurous, you can also try meatballs made from beef, squid, fish, shrimp, or pork.

Seafood options such as shrimp, haddock, seabass, squid, and eel are also great additions to your hot pot. Just be careful when eating head-on shrimp as the hot broth can become trapped in the shell.

A variety of vegetables are essential to a well-rounded hot pot. Include some of your favourites and don't be afraid to experiment with new options. Keep in mind that delicate vegetables will cook quickly, while heartier options like mushrooms or root vegetables will take longer.

Finally, don't forget the starches! Noodles are a great way to round out the meal and soak up all the flavours of the broth. Udon, vermicelli, chow mein, and shangdong noodles are common choices.

Remember, hot pot is all about customisation and enjoying the company of your friends and family. So, don't be afraid to experiment and try new ingredients!

Broth options

Broth is the foundation of your hot pot, so it's important to choose one that suits your taste. The good news is that there are plenty of options to choose from, and you can even opt for a divided pot so you can sample multiple kinds.

If you're new to hot pot, chicken broth is a great place to start. It's a basic, mild broth that pairs well with a variety of ingredients. For something with a bit more kick, try tom yum broth, which is slightly sweet and spicy, or ma-la broth, a tongue-numbing Szechuan broth with curry-like flavours. If you're a fan of umami flavours, a mushroom broth is a good choice, and it's also a great vegetarian option.

For those who like their food spicy, there's the Chongqing broth, packed with Sichuan peppercorns, red chillies, and preserved mustard greens. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, try a coconut-infused seafood tom kha broth, or a sweet-and-sour tomato broth.

If you're making hot pot at home, you can make your own broth from scratch or use a store-bought broth base. To make a basic chicken broth, simply simmer chicken, pork bones, ginger, scallions, and white peppercorn in water for 40 minutes to an hour. For a spicy option, melt beef tallow in a pot and fry ginger, scallions, and cloves until aromatic before adding your choice of spices and light stock.

Now that you've chosen your broth, it's time to select your meats, seafood, vegetables, and noodles to cook in it. But remember, the key to hot pot is to take your time, savour the flavours, and enjoy the company of your fellow diners.

Meat and protein choices

The fun of hot pot is that you can customise it to your own tastes and preferences. The ingredients are cooked tableside, so it's easy to adapt to different dietary requirements.

A good rule of thumb is 1/2 pound of meat per person, and 3/4 pound for heartier eaters if meat is the main course. If it's not the main course, 1/4 pound per person and 1/3 pound for heartier eaters will suffice.

Meat Choices

Meat is usually sliced thinly for hot pot. Beef, pork, and chicken are very popular, but you can cook any kind of meat, as long as it's sliced thinly. Lamb is also a good option.

For beef, ribeye is a popular choice, but you could also try chuck or ribeye. For pork, pork belly and pork jowl are tasty, as well as pork shoulder. Chicken breast is less common due to the risk of food poisoning, but if you want to include it, opt for marinated breast or thigh and cook it for a little longer.

Seafood

Seafood is a common addition to hot pot, but it can be skipped if you're on a budget. Frozen seafood medleys are a good option, containing shrimp, squid, scallops, mussels, and clams. Fresh fish is also an option, and salmon is a popular choice.

Vegetarian Options

Tofu is a great protein option for vegetarians and is suitable for hot pot as it doesn't need to be cooked for long. Firm tofu is the best option as other types will melt or break apart too easily.

Meatballs and Fish Balls

Meatballs and fish balls are a must-have for some hot pot enthusiasts. They are easy to cook and packed with flavour. They come in a variety of flavours, such as shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, and lobster.

Eggs

Some people like to dip their meat in a sauce that contains raw egg. The heat of the meat will cook the thin layer of egg, giving the meat a silkier texture. However, this is not for everyone, as it may upset some digestive systems.

Dumplings

Frozen dumplings are perfect for hot pot, and it's best to opt for a simple filling like pork and watercress.

Seafood selection

Seafood is an essential component of hot pot, adding a burst of flavour to the broth and providing a range of textures to the meal. Here are some tips for selecting seafood for your hot pot:

Shell-on Shrimp

Head-on shrimp is a popular choice for hot pot as they add flavour to the broth and are easy to cook. The shells also make the broth perfect for noodles later in the meal. However, they can be messy to peel and eat, so consider whether your guests will be happy to get their hands dirty!

Other Seafood Options

If you want to offer a wider range of seafood, or your guests prefer easier-to-eat options, there are plenty of choices. Try haddock, seabass, squid, or eel. Shellfish such as mussels, oysters, crab, and lobster are also great additions to hot pot.

Cooking Seafood

Seafood typically cooks quickly in a hot pot. Shrimp, for example, will take around a minute to cook. Be sure to add seafood to the broth gradually, rather than all at once, to avoid lowering the temperature of the broth.

Seafood Dipping Sauces

To enhance the flavour of your seafood, offer a variety of dipping sauces. Sesame paste is a common choice, while Shacha sauce, made with spices and fish paste, goes well with seafood. Other popular options include fermented bean curd, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili paste, and chopped scallions.

Vegetables and noodles

When it comes to vegetables, there are a few types that are considered essential for a hot pot. These include napa cabbage, baby bok choy, Chinese broccoli, yu choy, and chrysanthemum leaves. Other popular choices are leafy greens such as spinach, watercress, and lettuce, as well as cabbages like siu choi/napa and kole. Mushrooms are also a must-have, with enoki, shiitake, oyster, king oyster, and shimeji mushrooms being popular options.

When preparing your vegetables, simply wash and cut them into manageable pieces. Leafy greens can be left whole, while larger leaves should be cut into smaller pieces. For root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and lotus root, cut them into thin slices or chunks so they cook evenly.

In terms of noodles, there are a few types that are commonly used in hot pot. These include mung bean vermicelli, rice noodles, thin fresh white noodles, spinach noodles, and shirataki noodles. Instant ramen or leftover cooked rice can also be added to the hot pot, although these are less traditional options.

When cooking your noodles, follow the package instructions and be sure to add them to the hot pot in small batches so as not to overcrowd the pot. It is also important to note that noodles will absorb the flavour of the broth, so they are best added towards the end of the meal when the broth has had a chance to infuse with the flavours of the other ingredients.

Lastly, don't forget to provide a variety of dipping sauces for your noodles and vegetables! A simple mixture of sweet soy sauce with green onion and cilantro is always a good option, but you can also get creative and experiment with different combinations of sauces and ingredients.

Condiments and sauces

Hot pot is a highly customizable meal, and the condiments and sauces are no exception. The options are endless, but here are some ideas to get you started:

The Basics

The most common condiments and sauces for hot pot include:

• Scallions/green onions
• Soy sauce
• Chopped garlic
• Peppers/chilli
• Cilantro/coriander
• Sesame sauce/paste
• Sha Cha sauce (Chinese BBQ sauce)
• Hoisin sauce
• Chinese black vinegar/rice vinegar
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Fried shallots or garlic

Dipping Sauce Ideas

Each person can mix their own dipping sauce to their taste. Here are some ideas for flavour combinations:

• Sesame paste with scallions, cilantro, and garlic
• Soy sauce with black vinegar, sesame oil, and water
• Sha Cha sauce with scallions, garlic, and chilli
• Tahini with hoisin sauce and chilli sauce
• Peanut sauce with soy sauce, garlic, and chilli
• Spicy garlic sauce with sesame oil, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, and Sichuan peppercorn powder
• Japanese sesame miso with miso paste, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sesame paste, and sesame seeds

Other Condiments

In addition to the sauces, you may want to provide some other condiments to add to the hot pot itself. These can include:

• Thinly sliced meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken)
• Seafood (shrimp, squid, fish, scallops)
• Vegetables (leafy greens, mushrooms, corn, potatoes, tofu)
• Starches (noodles, dumplings, rice cakes)

Frequently asked questions