Hot Pot Ramen: A Tasty Homemade Adventure

Making hot pot ramen at home is a fun and easy way to bring people together over food. It's a great way to entertain guests, as everyone can select their proteins, noodles, and vegetables for a fun and interactive dining experience.

To make hot pot ramen, you'll need a pot with a heating element to keep the broth simmering. You can use a stainless steel pot with a chimney or an electric hot pot with a division for two types of soup. For the broth, you can use chicken or vegetable stock, and add ingredients like sake, soy sauce, and sesame oil. The key to a successful hot pot is to have a variety of toppings and condiments, such as meats, seafood, tofu, vegetables, and noodles, so that everyone can customise their meal to their taste.

Choosing your broth

Types of Broth

The type of broth you choose will depend on your preference and the overall flavour profile you want to achieve. Here are some common options:

• Chicken Broth: This is a versatile option that pairs well with various ingredients. It has a mild flavour that serves as a blank canvas for other spices and seasonings.
• Beef Broth: Beef broth offers a heartier, richer flavour that can enhance the taste of your hot pot ramen. It is a good choice if you want a more robust and savoury dish.
• Vegetable Broth: For a vegetarian or vegan option, you can opt for a vegetable broth. This broth is made by simmering vegetables and herbs in water, creating a light and healthy base for your ramen.
• Dashi Broth: Dashi is a traditional Japanese broth made from dried shiitake mushrooms, konbu (edible kelp), and bonito flakes. It has a delicate umami flavour that enhances the taste of your ramen.

Seasonings and Aromatics

To elevate the flavour of your broth, consider adding various seasonings and aromatics:

• Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is a classic seasoning for ramen broths. It adds a savoury, umami taste and a distinct dark colour to the broth.
• Miso Paste: White miso paste is commonly used in Japanese ramen to add a savoury and slightly sweet flavour. It blends well with other seasonings and gives a creamy texture to the broth.
• Sesame Oil and Seeds: Toasted sesame oil adds a nutty aroma and flavour to the broth. Ground sesame seeds can also be used to enhance the nutty taste and provide a subtle crunch.
• Aromatic Vegetables: Grated or minced garlic, ginger, and green onions are commonly used to infuse the broth with a pungent and aromatic flavour.
• Alcoholic Beverages: Adding small amounts of sake, mirin (sweet rice wine), or Chinese cooking wine can enhance the broth's flavour and add depth to the soup.

Customisation and Personal Preference

When choosing your broth, feel free to get creative and experiment with different ingredients. You can adjust the seasonings to your taste and add extra ingredients like chilli oil for a spicy kick or scallions for a mild onion flavour. The beauty of hot pot ramen is that you can customise it to your preferences, so don't be afraid to make it your own!

Selecting your meat and vegetables

The beauty of hot pot ramen is that you can choose whatever ingredients you like to add to the pot. You can load up the table with a bunch of meats, veggies, tofu, seafood items, and noodles. The key is to slice your meat thinly so that it cooks quickly in the hot pot.

Meat

Thinly sliced beef and pork are very popular choices for hot pot. You can buy pre-sliced meat from your local Asian market or slice it yourself at home. If you're slicing it yourself, choose a fatty cut of meat such as ribeye, brisket, or short ribs and place it in the freezer for 15-30 minutes to make it easier to slice thinly. You can also add chicken wings to your hot pot, which will take about 10-15 minutes to cook. Other meat options include:

• Shrimp
• Scallops
• Squid
• Fish slices
• Lamb shoulder
• Pork belly
• Pork jowl
• Pork shoulder

Vegetables

When it comes to vegetables, the sky's the limit! Choose veggies that pair well with Asian flavours. Here are some suggestions:

• Leafy greens: spinach, baby bok choy, morning glory, kale, watercress, Napa cabbage
• Mushrooms: oyster, brown, enoki, shiitake
• Onions: green onion, red or sweet yellow onions
• Bell peppers or spicy peppers
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Lotus root
• Baby corn

Remember, the key to a great hot pot is variety, so choose a range of meats and vegetables that you and your guests will enjoy.

Preparing your toppings

The fun of hot pot is that you can choose your own adventure with toppings. Load up the table with a variety of meats, veggies, tofu, seafood items, and noodles. The sky is the limit when it comes to veggies, but some popular options include greens like spinach, baby bok choy, mushrooms of any variety, onions, bell peppers, and baby corn.

For proteins, you can go with thinly sliced beef or pork (this is pretty much a non-negotiable according to one source). You can buy it pre-sliced from your local Asian market, or slice it yourself. If you're slicing it yourself, choose a high-grade, fatty cut like ribeye, brisket, or short ribs and pop it in the freezer for 15-30 minutes so it becomes firmer and easier to slice thinly.

If you're a seafood lover, shrimp, crab, fish, mussels, clams, and squid are all popular choices. You can also add eggs—quail eggs are traditional, but you can also make soft ramen eggs to slice and add afterward.

For tofu, you can buy it pre-fried, or use firm or extra-firm tofu so it holds up to cooking with the other ingredients.

Other toppings to consider include dumplings, meatballs, and fish balls, which you can usually find in the freezer section of your local Asian grocery store.

Don't forget to provide a variety of sauces for dipping!

Cooking your ramen

Now that you have all your ingredients and equipment ready, it's time to cook your ramen! Here's a step-by-step guide:

• If you're using a gas or induction cooker, set it up on the table and place your hot pot or donabe on top. If you're using an electric hot pot, simply turn it on and allow it to heat up.
• Pour your chosen broth or stock into the pot and bring it to a boil. You can use a pre-made broth, or make your own by combining ingredients like chicken or vegetable stock, soy sauce, sake, and spices.
• Once the broth is boiling, it's time to add your ramen noodles. You can use fresh or instant ramen, depending on your preference. For fresh ramen, add the noodles directly to the boiling broth and stir. For instant ramen, cook the noodles separately according to the packet instructions, then add them to the broth.
• Cook the ramen for about 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are just softened. Don't overcook them, as they will continue to cook in the hot broth.
• Add your choice of proteins and vegetables to the pot. Thinly sliced meats, seafood, tofu, and a variety of vegetables like leafy greens, mushrooms, and crunchy veggies are all great options. Cook them in the broth for a few minutes until they are done to your liking.
• Remove the noodles and proteins from the broth and place them into individual serving bowls. You can also provide small serving bowls for your guests to load their own ingredients as they cook.
• Provide a variety of dipping sauces for your guests to customise their ramen. Some popular options include soy sauce, sesame sauce, Thai peanut sauce, oyster sauce, or a combination of these.
• Enjoy your hot pot ramen! Remember to keep the broth simmering throughout the meal so that ingredients stay hot and can be cooked to each person's preference.

Feel free to experiment with different ingredients and combinations to find your perfect hot pot ramen!

Serving your hot pot

Once you've prepared your broth, meats, vegetables, noodles, and sauces, it's time to serve your hot pot!

First, you'll need to decide on your heat source. You can use induction, gas, or a two-in-one. If you're using an electric hot pot, you can have two kinds of soups: one seasoned chicken stock and one spicy soup with chillies. If you're using a two-in-one pot, you can have one side with spicy soup and one side with plain soup.

Next, you'll want to set up your table with a heating element in the middle and the pot of broth on top. Place all your ingredients around the pot. You'll also need hot pot strainers, shallow dishes for sauces, small bowls for eating, tongs, chopsticks, and a ladle.

Now you're ready to start cooking and eating! Keep the broth at a simmer and add your ingredients as desired. Remember not to overcook your vegetables—pop them in, let them cook, then remove them right away. For noodles, it's best to add them at the end so they don't get soggy. For meats, thinly sliced beef, pork, and chicken are popular options. You can cook any kind of meat in the hot pot, as long as it's sliced thinly. Pop it into the boiling broth, swish it around, and remove it when it's done to your liking.

Don't forget to provide a variety of sauces for dipping! Some popular options include soy sauce, Chinese sesame paste, hoisin sauce, shacha (Chinese barbecue sauce), and a mix of sriracha, ketchup, and sugar.

Happy hot-potting!

Frequently asked questions