The Art Of Hot Pot: A Guide To Savoring This Hearty Feast

Hot pot is a fun and social way of dining. It's an interactive and communal meal, where a group of people cook and eat from a pot of flavoured broth at the centre of the table.

Hot pot is a choose-your-own-adventure meal. You can select your own ingredients and make your own dipping sauce. It's a great way to try new foods and flavours.

Here's how it works:

1. Choose your broth: There are many types of broth to choose from, including chicken, mushroom, spicy Sichuan, and tomato. You can also have a split pot with two types of broth.

2. Select your ingredients: Choose a variety of thinly sliced meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu, dumplings, and noodles.

3. Cook your ingredients: Add your ingredients to the broth and cook until they are done to your liking. Use a hot pot strainer or chopsticks to remove your food from the broth.

4. Dip and eat: Dip your cooked food in your chosen sauce and enjoy!

5. Repeat: Keep adding, cooking, and eating your chosen ingredients.

6. Drink: Enjoy your hot pot with cold beer or Chinese liquor.

7. Finish with broth: Once you've finished cooking and eating, ladle some of the broth into your bowl to sip and enjoy.

Hot pot is a fun and interactive dining experience that's perfect for groups. It's a great way to try new foods and flavours, and it's easy to prepare, too.

Choose your broth

Choosing the broth is one of the most important considerations when planning a hot pot party, as all the food will be cooked in it. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you choose the perfect broth for your hot pot.

Buy or Make Your Own?

Although making your own broth from scratch can be rewarding, it often requires many special ingredients that may be expensive or hard to find. For a fun and easy hot pot party, it is generally recommended to purchase a hot pot broth base from an Asian store or online.

Types of Broth

There are two main types of broth for hot pot: spicy and clear. You can also find other types such as tomato, seafood, satay, and soy milk, but these are less common.

Spicy Broth

Spicy broth is one of the most popular choices for hot pot and is usually a must-have. There are several types of spicy broth to choose from, including Sichuan, Chongqing, and Mongolian styles. The Sichuan and Mongolian styles are the most popular, but the Chongqing style features a thicker and richer broth.

#### Sichuan Spicy Broth

This broth is typically made with a red chilli oil base, using vegetable oil, and balanced with spiciness, numbness from Sichuan peppercorns, and various herbs. You can purchase a Sichuan spicy hot pot base from brands like Hai Di Lao and Huangcheng Laoma.

#### Chongqing Spicy Broth

The Chongqing style broth is made with a red chilli oil base and beef fat, with less emphasis on spices. It is usually oilier, spicier, and heavier than the Sichuan style. Recommended brands include De Zhuang and Qiao Tou.

#### Mongolian Spicy Broth

The Mongolian style broth uses a red chilli oil base with vegetable oil and has a strong cumin flavour. It is less spicy and lighter than the Sichuan style. Little Sheep is a well-known brand for this type of broth.

Clear Broth

Clear broth is the default type of broth in northern China and is usually milder and less spicy. It can be made with simple ingredients such as water, scallions, ginger, peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and jujubes. You can also use a packaged soup base or opt for a mushroom hot pot base for a clear broth. Recommended brands for clear broth include Little Sheep and Hai Di Lao.

Serving Multiple Broths

If you want to offer a variety of broths at your hot pot party, you can use a split pot to serve two types of broth simultaneously. This is a great option if you have guests with different spice tolerances or dietary preferences. You can serve a spicy broth alongside a milder broth to balance things out.

Customising Your Broth

You can customise your broth by adding a few slices of ginger, green onions, and dried chilli peppers (for a spicy pot) to enhance the presentation and add extra flavour. You can also follow recipes to make your own homemade broth from scratch, allowing you to experiment with different ingredients and flavours.

Pick your proteins

Hot pot is a highly customizable meal, so you can choose whichever proteins you like. Here are some popular options:

Meat

Beef is one of the most popular choices for hot pot, as thinly sliced beef cooks quickly (within 10 to 30 seconds). You can also par-freeze beef to make it easier to slice thinly. Other good options include chicken, lamb shoulder, and pork belly. If you're buying pre-sliced meat, look for it in the refrigerated or frozen section of Asian supermarkets.

Meatballs

Meatballs, fish balls, and beef balls are also common in hot pot. These are pre-cooked, so they just need to be heated through in the broth.

Seafood

Head-on shrimp is a good choice, as the shells add flavour to the broth. Other options include haddock, seabass, squid, and eel. Shellfish such as mussels, oysters, crab, and lobster are also great in hot pot.

Select your seafood

Seafood is a popular choice for hot pot, and there are many options to choose from. When selecting seafood for hot pot, it is important to choose varieties that can withstand high heat without becoming tough or dry. Tender, flaky white fish fillets are ideal. Some recommended options include:

• Cod
• Halibut
• Turbot
• Fluke
• Tilapia
• Salmon
• Trout
• Flounder

These fish cook quickly in the broth and absorb lots of flavour. It is important to pat the fillets dry before adding them to the hot pot to prevent extra moisture from leaching into the broth. Use paper-thin slices and let them swirl gently in the simmering liquid.

In addition to fish fillets, other seafood options for hot pot include:

• Shrimp
• Squid
• Scallops
• Mussels
• Clams
• Crab
• Lobster
• Fish balls

When preparing seafood for hot pot, cut the seafood into thin slices or small pieces to ensure quick cooking. Seafood should be added to the hot pot towards the end of the cooking process to avoid overcooking.

Order your vegetables

When it comes to hot pot, the sky's the limit when it comes to choosing your vegetables. You can use any vegetables you like, but here are some popular options to get you started:

Leafy Greens

• Napa cabbage
• Chrysanthemum leaves/greens
• Baby bok choy
• Spinach
• Pea tips
• Watercress
• Choy sum
• Yu choy

Other Vegetables

• Lotus root
• Potato
• Sweet potato
• Pumpkin/Kabocha squash
• Tomatoes
• Corn
• Daikon radish
• Winter melon
• Carrots
• Turnip

Mushrooms

• Enoki
• Shiitake
• King oyster
• Oyster
• Wood ear
• Shimeji
• Button
• Straw

When preparing your vegetables, simply wash them thoroughly and cut them into bite-sized pieces or manageable chunks. Leafy greens can be left whole if they are small, while larger leaves should be cut into smaller pieces. For mushrooms, remove the tough ends and slice or tear them into smaller pieces or clumps.

Pick your noodles

Noodles are a great way to round off a hot pot meal. They are filling and cook quickly. Here are some noodle options to pick from:

• Udon
• Vermicelli
• Chow mein
• Shangdong noodles
• Yam noodle bundles
• Shirataki noodles
• Instant ramen
• Glass noodles/mung bean noodles
• Rice noodles
• Thin fresh white noodles
• Fresh spinach noodles
• Frozen dumplings
• Rice cakes
• Mung bean vermicelli

If you're trying to cut down on carbohydrates, check the menu for yam noodle bundles or shirataki noodles.

Frequently asked questions