The Art Of Miso Broth: Elevating Your Hot Pot Experience

A hot pot is a great way to warm up during the colder months. It's a fun, interactive meal that's perfect for sharing with friends and family. Making a miso broth for your hot pot is a great option as it's quick, easy, and full of flavour. You can use either a simple combination of miso paste and dashi stock or a more complex broth with ingredients such as dried anchovies, garlic, rice cooking wine, sesame paste, and soy sauce. The savoury, nutty, umami-rich broth will keep you cozy all night.

Choosing a pot and cooktop

When choosing a pot and cooktop for making miso broth hot pot, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, decide whether you prefer a separate burner and pot or an all-in-one unit. Separate burners and pots offer more versatility as you can use any pot or pan you like, including ones you already own. They are also easier to wash and store separately. On the other hand, all-in-one units are simpler and often cheaper. However, they are less multifunctional and can be harder to wash due to the need to juggle the entire unit over the sink.

If you opt for a separate burner and pot, the next step is to choose the type of burner. There are a few options available:

• Portable butane stove: This option is completely cordless and quiet. It works with any kind of flat-bottomed pot and is the best choice for a traditional earthenware donabe pot. However, you will need to procure and dispose of butane canisters, which can be inconvenient.
• Portable induction cooktop: Induction burners are fast, safe, and efficient. They require pots made of magnetic materials with completely flat bottoms. They are more versatile and can be used for everyday cooking. However, they tend to be noisy due to the built-in fan and require access to a nearby electrical outlet.

When selecting a pot, consider the number of people you will be serving. Pots with a volume of 3 to 6 quarts and a depth of 3 to 6 inches are generally suitable for up to eight people. Here are some pot options to consider:

• Dutch oven: A kitchen workhorse that can be made of enameled cast iron or tri-ply stainless steel.
• Braiser: A wide, shallow shape that makes it easy to see inside.
• Wok: A flat-bottomed wok can work well for hot pot, just be mindful of the handle placement.
• Bouillabaisse pot: This type of pot has an ideal shape for hot pot, with a larger size that is good for a larger group.
• Split pot: A pot with a divider allows you to simmer two different broths at once, which is useful if you have guests with different taste preferences or food allergies.
• Donabe earthenware pot: A traditional and beautiful option that carries centuries of tradition. Donabe pots are highly insulating and can boost the flavors of the food cooked in them. However, they require special care and seasoning before use.

Preparing the broth

The key to a delicious miso hot pot is a flavourful broth. You can use a pre-made instant dashi or make your own. To make your own dashi, add dried anchovies and garlic cloves to water and boil. You can also add kombu (dried kelp) and dried shiitake mushrooms to make a vegan-friendly dashi. Let the anchovies cook for 20 minutes, then add rice cooking wine and miso paste. Mix well and simmer for another 10 minutes. You can adjust the flavour by adding more miso or salt to taste.

If using instant dashi, simply add water and dashi to a pot and bring to a boil. You can also add other ingredients like cooking sake, sesame paste, Chinese soup stock, sesame oil, grated garlic, and grated ginger to enhance the flavour.

Once your broth is ready, it's time to start cooking your hot pot ingredients. Add ingredients that take longer to cook first, such as napa cabbage and king oyster mushrooms. Then add in your protein, tofu, and other vegetables. Simmer everything together for a few minutes until cooked to your liking.

You can also cook your miso hot pot at the table using a portable induction cooktop. This way, everyone can cook their own ingredients and enjoy their meal hot and fresh.

Selecting vegetables

Firstly, you'll want to select some hearty and leafy greens that retain their texture after cooking. Good options include bok choy, watercress, snow pea leaves, napa cabbage, Chinese spinach, mizuna, mustard greens, garlic chives, gai lan and green onions. You can cut these into bite-sized pieces and add them to the broth, allowing them to cook for at least 10 minutes.

Next, you'll want to choose some root vegetables. Good options include daikon, carrots, small potatoes, kabocha squash, winter melon, burdock root and lotus root. You can cut these into cubes or thin slices. For larger pieces, let them simmer in the broth to add flavour, and thinly slice any remaining pieces for a slight crunch.

Mushrooms are another essential component of a miso hot pot. Reach for enokis, small cremini or shimeji mushrooms for quick cooking, and sliced king oyster mushrooms for a meatier texture. Simply remove the tough parts of the king oyster mushrooms and thinly slice them. Add the small mushrooms towards the end of cooking, as they will be ready as soon as they start to wilt.

Other great vegetable options include broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, bean sprouts, corn and green beans. Remember to add a variety of textures and colours to make your hot pot visually appealing and tasty!

Picking meat and seafood

When picking meat and seafood for your miso hot pot, the world is your oyster—quite literally! You can use any combination of meat, seafood, and vegetables that you like. Here are some tips and suggestions for selecting and preparing meat and seafood for your hot pot.

Meat

Beef, pork, and lamb are popular choices for hot pots. Look for paper-thin slices of meat, which you can usually find in the frozen section of Asian supermarkets. If you can't find pre-sliced meat, slice it as you would for a stir-fry. Here are some specific types of meat to consider:

• Fatty beef, such as brisket or short rib
• Ribeye
• Asian beef-tendon meatballs
• Lamb shoulder or leg
• Chicken breast or thigh
• Pork loin or belly
• Offal, such as tripe, tongue, kidney, or liver

Seafood

A wide variety of seafood can be used in a hot pot, including:

• Shrimp, either headless and shelled or with the head and shell on
• Scallops
• Lobster
• Crab
• Oysters
• Clams
• Mussels
• Abalone
• Geoduck
• Halibut, salmon, monkfish, or bass
• Squid or cuttlefish, either fresh or dried
• Store-bought or homemade fish balls or fish cakes

Preparing Meat and Seafood

Meat and seafood should be sliced thinly so that they cook quickly in the hot pot broth. For beef, pork, and lamb, look for paper-thin slices, or slice the meat yourself against the grain. For chicken, slice white and dark meat into stir-fry-sized pieces, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.

Shellfish, such as lobster and crab, will need to be chopped into large pieces while they are still alive, which can be upsetting for some people. Oysters should be shucked, and they will only take a minute or two to cook. For clams, make sure they are cleaned of any grit and sand; small clams, such as littlenecks, work best. For mussels, remove their beards and clean them thoroughly before cooking.

Abalone should be sliced thinly, and geoduck should be sliced as thinly as possible after cleaning. Fresh squid and cuttlefish should be cleaned and sliced into strips or rings, while dried cuttlefish will need to be soaked in water for at least 24 hours before slicing and cooking.

Most types of seafood will only need to be cooked in the hot pot broth for a few minutes, or even just a few seconds for delicate items like oysters and abalone.

Serving suggestions

Hot pot is a fun and social meal, perfect for sharing with friends and family. The best thing about hot pot is that you can prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and let everyone cook their food in the broth at the table.

To serve, place a portable burner in the centre of the table, with a large pot of broth on top. Each person should have their own bowl of rice and a medium-sized bowl for the food they fish out of the hot pot. You'll also need communal chopsticks or tongs, and a ladle to stir the broth and scoop out cooked ingredients.

For the ingredients, chop up a selection of vegetables, tofu, and mushrooms, and lay them out on a platter. You can also add meat, like thinly sliced pork loin, if you're not serving vegetarians or vegans.

Some suggested vegetables include:

• Napa cabbage
• Green onions/scallions
• Mizuna (Japanese mustard greens)
• Garlic chives (Chinese chives)
• Carrots
• Gobo (burdock root)
• King oyster mushrooms
• Enoki mushrooms

You can also serve hot pot with a selection of dipping sauces, such as:

• Taiwanese shacha
• Garlic sesame
• Chinese spicy chilli
• Japanese miso
• Spicy peanut sauce

Frequently asked questions