The Art Of Boiling Point Hot Pot: A Guide To Making This Spicy Sensation

Making a hot pot in the style of Boiling Point, a Taiwanese hot pot restaurant, involves preparing a broth, adding meat, and throwing in fresh vegetables. The type of broth can vary, with options including BP Original, Sacha, Garlic Bean Sacha, Soybean Paste, Miso, and Mala Spicy Fermented Tofu. Meats to choose from include lamb, pork, and beef. Big containers of dipping sauces are also provided, though they may be superfluous if your broth is flavourful and spicy.

Choose your broth

Choosing the broth is an important step in making a hot pot. It forms the base of your dish and is the foundation of your meal.

There are two popular types of hot pot broth: a spicy broth and a mild broth.

Spicy Broth

A spicy broth is typically made from a concentrated, highly flavoursome soup base and water (or stock). The most popular type is the Hong You Guo Di/红油锅底, which originates from Sichuan and Chongqing. This broth has a high fat content, a strong aroma, and a distinctive mouth-numbing and spicy taste, known as Mala/麻辣. The key ingredients are beef tallow, dried chilli peppers, Sichuan pepper, aromatics (scallions, onion, coriander, garlic, and ginger), and spices (star anise, cassia cinnamon, bay leaves, and Chinese black cardamom).

Mild Broth

A mild broth, on the other hand, is typically a non-spicy broth made from stock, aromatics, herbs, and sometimes vegetables. It is light and easy to prepare. A simple version can be made with water, scallions, and ginger, while a more flavourful option would use stock made from pork, beef, chicken, mushroom, or tomatoes.

Tips for Choosing Your Broth

• If you're short on time or energy, it's perfectly acceptable to use store-bought broth bases. Simply add them to water or stock and bring to a simmer.
• If you want to have a spicy and mild broth, use a divided Yin Yang Pot to serve both.
• You can also make your broth vegan by replacing beef tallow with a neutral-flavoured cooking oil, such as rapeseed, sunflower, or vegetable oil.

Remember, hot pot is all about choosing your own adventure and tailoring it to your preferences, so feel free to experiment with different ingredients and combinations!

Pick a meat

Picking the meat for your hot pot is an important step. The meat you choose will add flavour to your broth, so choose something tasty!

Beef is a popular choice for hot pot. Look for well-marbled cuts of meat, which will be juicy and tender. Try ribeye, or for something a little fattier, go for beef chuck or brisket. You could also use beef short ribs, or pre-sliced fatty beef from the refrigerated or frozen section of an Asian supermarket.

Pork is another good option. Pork belly is a tasty, fatty cut that will add flavour to your broth. You could also use pork jowl, or pork shoulder.

Lamb is a great choice if you want something a little different. Look for the calf muscle, which will have a more uniform distribution of fat, connective tissue, and lean meat. Ask your butcher to remove the bone and slice it thinly.

If you're feeling adventurous, you could also try mutton, which is a popular choice in some hot pot restaurants.

Remember to slice your meat thinly, or partially freeze it before cutting, to ensure it cooks quickly and evenly in your hot pot.

Prepare your vegetables

Preparing your vegetables for a hot pot is simple. The sky is the limit when it comes to choosing your veggies, but it's best to opt for those that complement Asian flavours.

Greens are a great choice and can include spinach, baby bok choy, morning glory, kale, watercress, Tatsoi, and chopped Napa cabbage. You can also add in mushrooms such as oyster, brown, enoki, and shiitake. If you want to add some spice, throw in some sliced red or sweet yellow onions, bell peppers, or spicy peppers. Baby corn is also a fun addition, as are garnishes like Thai basil, cilantro, and mint.

When preparing your vegetables, be sure to wash and dry them thoroughly. For large leaf and root vegetables, cut them into small pieces. You want to be able to cook your veggies quickly, so having them in smaller pieces will help.

Once your broth is ready and your table is set, you can start adding your veggies to the pot. Leafy greens only need a quick dip, while starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and taro will take longer to cook, up to 15 minutes. Remember not to overcook your vegetables—you want them to retain their crunch and freshness.

And there you have it! Your vegetables are now ready to be added to your hot pot and enjoyed with your chosen proteins, noodles, and dipping sauces.

Add popular extras

Meat

Meat is a staple of hot pot, and thinly sliced beef, pork, and chicken are the most popular options. Other popular meats include lamb shoulder, pork belly, pork jowl, and ribeye. If you can't find pre-sliced meats, you can always DIY! Choose cuts of meat that are heavily marbled, and pop them in the freezer for about 30 minutes before slicing them as thinly as possible.

Seafood

Seafood is a common addition to hot pot, with shrimp, squid, scallops, mussels, and clams being popular choices. Fresh fish is also a good option.

Vegetables

While Chinese hot pot traditionally includes a limited amount of vegetables, you can include as many as you like. Asian vegetables like gai lan, mushrooms, and leafy greens such as baby bok choy, spinach, and napa cabbage are popular choices. Just be sure not to overcook them!

Tofu

Tofu is a must-have for any hot pot. There are many varieties to choose from, including mini tofu puffs, medium-firm tofu, and egg tofu. Tofu soaks up all the flavours of the broth, so be sure to let it simmer for a while to get the best taste.

Fish and Meatballs

Fish balls are a must-try for hot pot. They come in a variety of flavours, including shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, and lobster. Grab some regular meatballs too, and throw in some beef or pork balls if you can find them.

Dumplings

Frozen dumplings are a great addition to hot pot. Just be sure to get the fully cooked ones to avoid biting into raw filling. Classic pork and vegetable dumplings are a popular choice, and if you see pork and corn, go for it!

Noodles

Noodles are the carb of choice for hot pot. Udon, mung bean noodles, shirataki, and thin fresh white noodles are all excellent options.

Don't forget the dipping sauces

Hot pot is a great communal dining experience, and the dipping sauces are an integral part of the meal. Here are some ideas for your hot pot dipping sauce station:

Ingredients

First, you'll want to gather some common ingredients for your sauces. These can include:

• Garlic
• Cilantro/coriander
• Green onion/spring onion/scallion
• Red chilli
• Korean red chilli flakes
• Ground Sichuan pepper
• Sesame seeds
• Black vinegar
• Oyster sauce
• Chinese sesame paste or peanut butter
• ShaCha/Chinese BBQ sauce
• Light soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Fish sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Chilli oil/chilli garlic sauce/Sriracha
• Chopped chilli peppers
• Roasted peanuts
• Toasted sesame seeds

Sauce Recipes

Now, for the fun part: mixing up your sauces! Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Light Sesame Soy: Combine sesame oil, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, minced garlic, and chopped spring onion. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Chilli Oil Vinegar Dip: Mix minced garlic, black vinegar, light soy sauce, and chopped spring onion.
• Creamy Dashi Garlic: Blend peanut butter, minced garlic, and chopped coriander.
• Honey Miso: Combine chopped spring onion, coriander, and honey.
• Spicy Peanut: Mix peanut butter, spicy bean paste, and chopped spring onion.
• Classic Spicy and Sweet Chilli: Combine chilli paste, sweet chilli sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and chilli flakes.
• Hot and Sour Garlic: Mix McDonald's garlic chilli sauce, black/rice vinegar, and light soy sauce.
• Creamy Garlic Sesame: Mix sesame paste, dashi powder, black vinegar, and minced garlic.
• Taiwanese Shacha: Blend minced garlic, chopped red chilli, green onion, Taiwanese Shacha sauce, and black vinegar.

Tips

Remember, hot pot is all about personal preference, so feel free to experiment and adjust the sauces to your taste. You can also provide a variety of ingredients and let your guests create their own unique dipping sauces. Enjoy!

Frequently asked questions