Dolsot Hot Pot Cooking Secrets: Unlocking The Sizzling Stone Bowl Magic

Dolsot hot pot, or stone pot in English, is a Korean dish that typically features rice, vegetables, and meat served in a sizzling hot stone bowl. The stone bowl is heated to high temperatures and retains heat well, allowing the food to continue cooking even after being removed from the stove. This results in a thin crust of scorched rice at the bottom of the bowl, which can be scraped off and eaten. The bowl is typically coated with sesame oil, which gives the rice a smoky flavour and makes it easier to scrape. Dolsot hot pot can be made with various ingredients, including beef, chicken, pork, and vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach. It is a delicious and authentic way to enjoy Korean cuisine.

How to prepare a dolsot for first-time use

A dolsot is a Korean granite stone bowl used in Korean cooking. It is a great investment if you are into Korean cooking. Here is how to prepare a dolsot for first-time use:

Firstly, fill the dolsot with water and one tablespoon of salt. Place it on a very low heat on the hob and gradually increase the temperature. Simmer for 10 minutes. The dolsot will be very hot after this, so let it cool down a little and handle it with silicon or thick gloves. Pour away the water and gently wipe the bowl with paper towels. The bowl will absorb the remaining water and dry on its own after a few minutes.

Once the bowl is completely dry, use a pastry brush to coat the inside with sesame oil, until the bowl stops absorbing the oil. Wipe off any excess sesame oil with a kitchen paper towel. This process of prepping the dolsot creates a non-stick layer on the bowl. Your dolsot is now ready for cooking!

How to assemble a dolsot hot pot

To assemble a dolsot hot pot, you will need to follow these steps:

Firstly, you will need to prepare your ingredients. This includes cooking the rice, and preparing and cooking your choice of meat and vegetables. For meat, you could use beef bulgogi, kalbi, chicken bulgogi, pork bulgogi, or beef tartare. For vegetables, you could use Korean dried namul, bellflower roots, bracken fiddleheads, perilla leaves, hobak namul, sautéed burdock, stir-fried cucumbers, spinach, oyster mushrooms, fresh lettuces, fresh perilla leaves, fresh crown daisies, carrot, zucchini, shitake mushrooms, asparagus, or daikon radish.

Next, you will need to heat your dolsot. You can do this by placing it in an oven preheated to 220 C / 428 F for 10 minutes, or by heating it on a stove. If using a stove, start with a low-medium heat and increase the temperature gradually.

Once your dolsot is hot, you can coat the inside with sesame oil. This will help to create a crispy layer of rice at the bottom of the bowl.

Now you can assemble your ingredients inside the hot dolsot. Start by adding the rice, and flattening it to ensure you get a good layer of crispy rice. Then, add your choice of meat and vegetables.

Finally, heat the filled dolsot on the stove over medium-low heat for around 10 minutes, or until the rice at the bottom of the pot is browned and crispy.

Your dolsot hot pot is now ready to serve!

How to cook dolsot hot pot on the stove

Dolsot hot pots are a great way to cook and serve Korean food. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to cook dolsot hot pot on your stove:

Step 1: Prepare the Dolsot Bowl

Before using a new dolsot bowl, fill it with water and add a tablespoon of salt. Place it on your stove and turn the heat to low-medium. Gradually increase the temperature and let the water simmer for about 10 minutes. The bowl will be very hot, so let it cool down a bit before handling it with silicon or thick gloves. Pour out the water, wipe the bowl with paper towels, and let it air dry. Once completely dry, use a pastry brush to coat the inside with sesame oil until the bowl stops absorbing the oil. Wipe off any excess.

Step 2: Prepare the Ingredients

For a classic dolsot bibimbap, you'll need short-grain rice, dried shitake mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, daikon radish, asparagus, beef, and bean sprouts. You can also add other vegetables like bellflower roots, cucumbers, spinach, oyster mushrooms, or bracken fiddleheads. Don't forget to soak your mushrooms in warm water until they're fully soft, and cut your vegetables and beef into thin strips or slices.

Step 3: Cook the Ingredients

Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté your vegetables separately, starting with zucchini, then carrots, asparagus, and shitake mushrooms. Season them lightly with sea salt and black pepper. For the mushrooms, add a tablespoon of soy sauce and stir to coat them evenly. Next, cook your beef in the same pan until well done, reducing the marinade if there's too much liquid. You can also fry an egg sunny-side up or separate the egg yolk and set it aside.

Step 4: Assemble and Cook in the Dolsot Bowl

Coat the bottom of the dolsot bowl with sesame oil. Add about 1-2 cups of cooked rice, spreading it evenly. Top the rice with your cooked vegetables, beef, and egg (if using). Place the dolsot bowl on the stove over medium-low heat for about 5-10 minutes, until the rice starts to sizzle and brown.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy

Remove the dolsot bowl from the heat and add a raw egg yolk or fried egg on top. Serve immediately with gochujang (Korean chili paste) and extra sesame oil on the side. Mix everything together and enjoy the crispy rice at the bottom of the bowl!

How to cook dolsot hot pot in the oven

Dolsot is a Korean granite stone bowl (pot) used in Korean cooking, most notably in dolsot (hot stone) bibimbap and jigae (stews). The dolsot is a great investment if you are into Korean cooking. It retains heat well and is made from natural materials.

To cook dolsot bibimbap in the oven, first preheat your oven to 220 C / 428 F. Place your stone bowl in the oven and leave it there for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take it out, add about 1 tablespoon of sesame oil per medium-sized bowl, and brush it around the bowl.

Quickly assemble your bibimbap ingredients inside the hot stone bowl. First, lay down the rice and make sure you flatten it well. Then, add the meat, assorted vegetables, and the egg on top of the rice. Transfer the hot stone bowl onto a gas stove and cook for 5 minutes over low heat. You will hear the rice crackling. Remove from the heat.

Pour the bibimbap sauce into the hot stone bowl and mix all the ingredients well. Serve immediately.

Note: Dolsot bowls cannot withstand sudden fluctuations in temperature, so always increase the heat gradually. Do not put the dolsot straight into a hot oven; instead, start with a low-medium heat and increase the temperature gradually.

How to clean a dolsot

Before First Use:

First, fill your new dolsot with water and one tablespoon of salt. Place it on a very low heat on your hob and gradually increase the temperature. Simmer the water for about 10 minutes. The dolsot will be very hot, so let it cool down a little before handling it with silicon or thick gloves. Pour away the water, and gently wipe the bowl with paper towels. The bowl will absorb the remaining water and dry on its own after a few minutes. Once it is completely dry, use a pastry brush to coat the inside with sesame oil, until the bowl stops absorbing the oil. Wipe off any excess sesame oil with a kitchen paper towel.

Regular Cleaning:

Dolsots are porous and can absorb water, so it is best to clean them with natural cleaning agents such as rock salt, boiling water, and a hard-bristled brush. You can also use lemon or vinegar solutions. Do not use soap or detergent as the porous material will absorb it. After washing, let the dolsot air dry, then coat the inside with a layer of sesame oil before storing it.

Other Tips:

• Do not put the dolsot on a hot stove; always heat it gradually, starting with low to medium heat.
• If you have taken the dolsot out of the fridge, let it return to room temperature before reheating.
• Dolsots conduct and retain heat well, so you generally do not need as high a temperature as you would normally use for cooking the same type of food in different cookware.
• Be careful to let the dolsot cool completely before washing it. If you wash it with water that is cooler than the bowl, it may crack.

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