Hot Pot Harmony: A Bon Appetit Guide To Flavorful Fun

Bon Appétit offers a range of hot pot recipes, from a vegan mushroom dashi to a pork and cabbage hot pot, and even a Chinese clam bake (hot pot). The recipes vary in complexity, with some requiring just a few simple steps and others demanding more time and attention. For example, the Mala Beef Hot Pot Broth involves toasting spices, frying chilli bean paste, and gently boiling the broth, while the Fridge Clean-Out Nabe With Mushroom Dashi is a quick and easy option that uses a Japanese donabe to simmer vegetables in a light broth. The publication also provides an ultimate guide to making hot pot at home, offering tips and tricks to create a delicious and comforting meal.

How to make a vegan hot pot broth

Hot pot is a popular communal meal in many Asian cultures. It involves cooking various ingredients chosen by each diner in a shared pot of broth. The vegan broth can be made in advance and reheated when ready to serve. Here is a guide on how to make a vegan hot pot broth.

Ingredients

You will need:

• Aromatics and vegetables of your choice (e.g. garlic, ginger, lemongrass, green onion, chilli, pineapple, tomatoes, corn, onion, carrots)
• Water
• Salt
• Oil (vegetable, sesame, or toasted sesame)
• Sugar (coconut or regular)
• Soy sauce
• Rice vinegar
• Noodles (optional)
• Vegan protein of your choice (tofu, tempeh, vegan sausages, or vegan chicken)
• Vegetables of your choice (e.g. greens like bok choy, spinach, mushrooms, okra, Chinese broccoli, snow pea tips, yu choy, watercress, mustard spinach)

Method

• Sauté your chosen aromatics and vegetables in oil.
• Cover with water and let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes.
• In the meantime, prepare your add-ins: wash and slice your vegetables and cut your vegan protein into bite-sized portions.
• If using noodles, cook them now and then rinse them under cold water.
• Place a portable gas burner in the centre of your table and put the pot with the broth on it. Let it simmer over low heat.
• Arrange your sliced vegetables, tofu, and vegan meat (if using) on different plates around the hot pot.
• Each guest can now pick their chosen vegetables, add them to the hot pot, and let them simmer for a couple of minutes before transferring to their bowls.
• Add noodles, vegan protein, and pour in the hot broth. Enjoy!

Tips

• If you are serving more than three people, or if you want leftovers, feel free to double the recipe.
• For a spicy kick, add chilli-garlic sauce or chilli bean paste to your broth.
• For a vegan mushroom broth, use a variety of fresh and dried mushrooms, and add alliums like onions and shallots for extra flavour.

How to make a pork and cabbage hot pot

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Chinese/Napa cabbage leaves
• 200g thinly sliced pork belly
• 300ml dashi stock
• 1 tsp ginger, julienned
• 1½ tbsp cooking sake
• Ponzu, for dipping (optional)
• Rice or udon noodles, for serving (optional)

Method:

• Trim the bottom of the cabbage leaves to make the edges straight.
• Place the widest cabbage leaf horizontally on a cutting board, then place a couple of slices of pork belly on top to cover the surface.
• Place the second widest cabbage leaf on top of the pork slices, then place another couple of pork slices in the same way.
• Repeat this process until all the cabbage leaves and pork slices are used up, ending with the pork slices on top.
• Starting from the bottom end of the cabbage leaves, carefully cut the layered cabbage and pork into 2" wide pieces.
• Starting from the bottom end of the cabbage, take one piece of layered cabbage and pork and place it against the outer edge of a small shallow pot. The cut side should be facing up so that you can see the layers, and the wider leaf should be against the side of the pot.
• Take the second piece of layered cabbage and pork and place it next to the first piece. Repeat to fill the outer edge of the pot, then fill the centre.
• Add the dashi stock, ginger, and cooking sake to the pot and bring it to a boil.
• Place a lid on the pot and cook for about 10 minutes until the cabbage becomes tender and the pork is cooked through.
• Serve the hot pot with rice or udon noodles, and ponzu for dipping, if desired.

How to make a mala beef hot pot broth

Ingredients:

• 1 lb 2"-3" sections mixed beef soup bones (such as neck, marrow, and/or oxtail)
• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 15 dried chao tian jiao chiles or dried chiles de árbol, plus more for serving
• 1 tbsp Pixian chili bean paste
• 2 large onions, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 large shallots, quartered
• 1 bunch scallions, cut into 3" pieces
• 1 head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled
• 3" piece ginger, scrubbed, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 cup Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine), michiu, or dry sake
• 2 oz white rock sugar or 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (preferably Kimlan)
• 1 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp Morton kosher salt, plus more

Method:

• Place the beef bones in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot; pour in cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the bones in a colander (blanching the bones and discarding the liquid yields a clearer, tastier final broth). Rinse and wipe out the pot; set aside.
• Toast the star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chiles in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant and the peppercorns are beginning to crackle, about 2 minutes. Transfer the spices to a plate and let cool.
• Heat oil in the reserved pot over high heat. Cook the bean paste, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened in colour, about 2 minutes. Add the onions, shallots, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine; cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until combined, about 30 seconds.
• Return the bones to the pot; add the toasted spices, rock sugar, and soy sauce. Pour in 13 cups of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cover the pot and cook, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle boil, for 4 hours.
• Using a fine-mesh sieve, scoop out the solids from the broth. Pick out any meat and set aside in a small bowl for serving if desired; discard the remaining solids. Stir 1½ tsp Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp Morton kosher salt into the broth; taste and season with more salt if needed. Top with more dried chiles.

Tips:

• The broth can be made 3 days ahead. Let it cool, then cover and chill, or freeze for up to 3 months.
• For a vegan alternative, replace the beef tallow with a neutral-flavoured cooking oil, such as rapeseed, sunflower, canola, vegetable, corn, or peanut oil.

How to make a Chinese clam bake hot pot

Ingredients

For the clams:

• 36 littleneck clams
• 2 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup of water mixed with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
• 1 scallion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 stalks of lemongrass, cut into 4 pieces (white portion only)
• 1/4 inch of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of Chinese rice wine
• 1/4 teaspoon of chicken stock granules
• 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of water

For the hot pot:

• Assorted mushrooms (such as shiitake, king oyster, and/or portobello), thinly sliced
• Large onions, cut into 2" pieces
• Large shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled
• 2 bunches of scallions, coarsely chopped, plus more cut into 3" pieces for serving
• 1 large head of Napa cabbage, sliced crosswise 1/2" thick
• 2 large leeks, cut into 2" pieces
• 3" piece of ginger, scrubbed, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 cup of Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine), michiu, or dry sake
• 2 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms (about 8 large)
• 2 oz. white rock sugar or 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 3 pitted dried jujubes (Chinese red dates), plus more for serving
• 1/8 oz. dried sliced dang gui (angelica root), plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons of dried goji berries, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon of Diamond Crystal or 1 3/4 teaspoon of Morton kosher salt, plus more
• Noodles of your choice (optional)
• Toasted sesame oil and shichimi togarashi (for serving)

Method

First, prepare the clams. Soak the clams in a large pot of salty and oily water for at least 1 hour to remove any grit and sand. Rinse the clams several times with fresh water and drain them in a colander. Place the clams in a pan or wok, add Shaoxing wine, cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes until the shells open. Drain the clams and set them aside.

Next, make the hot pot broth. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over high heat. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned (about 5-8 minutes). Add the onions, shallots, garlic, and chopped scallions. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and lightly browned.

Add the cabbage, leeks, ginger, and wine. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring, until the cabbage is softened. Add the dried shiitake mushrooms, rock sugar, jujubes, dang gui, and goji berries. Pour in 10 cups of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour.

While the broth is simmering, prepare the chopped ingredients for the clam bake: scallion, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and red chilli. Also, prepare the sauce ingredients in a small bowl: oyster sauce, soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, chicken stock granules, brown sugar, and water.

After 1 hour, scoop out the solids from the broth using a fine-mesh sieve. Press with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Set aside the cooked mushrooms and discard the remaining solids. Stir salt into the broth and season with more salt if needed.

Now, it's time to assemble the hot pot. Add the clams to the hot pot broth. Heat up cooking oil over medium-high heat in a separate wok or large frying pan. Stir-fry the lemongrass until the edges start to brown. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir-fry until aromatic (about 20 seconds).

Add the clams to the wok and give them a good toss. Pour in the sauce and stir gently. Allow the sauce to boil and bubble. As soon as the clams start to open, add the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce.

Once the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and add the scallions and red chilli for garnish. Serve the Chinese clam bake hot pot immediately, with steamed rice or noodles on the side if desired. Enjoy!

How to make a vegan mushroom dashi hot pot

Ingredients:

• Dried shiitake mushrooms
• 4x3" piece dried kombu
• Dried udon or soba noodles
• Mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
• Butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeds removed, sliced ½" thick
• Baby bok choy, kale, or Swiss chard, thinly sliced
• Firm or extra-firm tofu, patted dry, cut into ½"-thick pieces
• Scallion, white and pale green parts thinly sliced into 2"-long pieces, dark green parts thinly sliced on a diagonal
• Toasted sesame oil and shichimi togarashi (for serving)
• 2½ cups cold water
• Salt
• Sake
• Soy sauce

Method:

• Combine mushrooms, kombu, and water in a 1-qt. jar or small bowl. Cover and chill until dashi takes on a light golden hue (at least 8 hours or overnight).
• Strain dashi into a clean jar or bowl. Squeeze mushrooms to release excess liquid, then remove and discard the woody stems; thinly slice mushroom caps and reserve. Discard kombu.
• Cook noodles in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside.
• Pour dashi into a 1.5–2-qt. donabe or small saucepan and stir in mirin, sake, and soy sauce; season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Add squash and greens, cover, and cook until vegetables are almost completely tender (5–7 minutes).
• Uncover and add tofu, white and pale green parts of scallions, and reserved mushrooms. Cover and cook until greens are wilted, tofu is warmed through, and squash and greens are tender (about 2 minutes).
• Add reserved noodles to the donabe and top with scallion greens. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with shichimi togarashi.

Tips:

• The vegan mushroom dashi can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• The ingredients listed in the recipe are merely suggestions; you could easily use kabocha squash or sliced sweet potatoes in place of the butternut, carrots in place of the greens, or broccoli florets instead of (or in addition to) leafy greens.
• If you're serving the hot pot with rice, it's best to skip the side dishes as all the nutritious ingredients are already in the pot.

Frequently asked questions