Marianne Martinez
A vegan hot pot is a great dish to share with friends and family. It's a warm, comforting, and easy meal to put together. The basic equipment you'll need is a pot, long chopsticks, and a ladle. For the ingredients, you can use a variety of vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and noodles. The key to a delicious vegan hot pot is in the sauce – a rich mix of Chinese sesame paste, Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sugar, chili oil, garlic, and green onions. You can also add other ingredients like bamboo shoots, carrots, and glass noodles to make it more hearty.
What You'll Learn
Choosing your vegetables
- Crunchy vegetables: bamboo shoots, lotus root, cauliflower, radish, broccoli, and carrot.
- Starchy vegetables: squash, potato, sweet potato, and taro root.
- Leafy greens: napa cabbage, pea shoots, baby bok choy, Chinese broccoli, yu choy, Swiss chard, spinach, watercress, bean sprouts, and snow pea leaves.
- Other Chinese vegetables: winter melon, celtuce, and bean sprouts.
When selecting your vegetables, keep in mind that root vegetables will take longer to cook, so you may want to cut them into thinner pieces. It's also a good idea to have at least six types of vegetables, preferably eight, to ensure a diverse and interesting hot pot.
In addition to fresh vegetables, you can also add mushrooms to your hot pot. Some options include enokitake (golden needle mushrooms), oyster mushrooms, seafood mushrooms, shimeji, and wood ear mushrooms (which need to be soaked beforehand).
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Preparing the broth
Ingredients:
Firstly, gather your ingredients. For a vegan hot pot broth, you will need a variety of vegetables, mushrooms, aromatics, and spices. Common ingredients include:
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Green onions
- Lemongrass
- Mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, enoki, etc.)
- Carrots
- Daikon radish
- Vegetable broth or mushroom broth
- Spices like paprika, chili flakes, or chili oil
- Soy sauce or tamari for umami flavour
- Vegetable oil
Preparation:
- Chop and prepare your vegetables and aromatics. Finely chop or crush the garlic and ginger, and slice the green onions and lemongrass.
- For dried mushrooms, soak them in water for at least 10 minutes, then rinse. Fresh mushrooms can be wiped clean and sliced or torn into bite-sized pieces.
- Peel and cut the daikon and carrots into chunks or slices.
Cooking:
- In a large pot, heat some vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and green onions, and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently. This forms the base of your broth.
- Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for a few minutes until they are slightly softened.
- Pour in the vegetable or mushroom broth and add the remaining ingredients, such as carrots, daikon, lemongrass, and spices. You can also add corn, tomatoes, or pineapple for extra flavour.
- Bring the broth to a gentle simmer and let it cook for at least 20 minutes up to 2-3 hours. The longer it simmers, the more flavourful your broth will be.
- Taste the broth and adjust seasoning as needed. You can add more salt, soy sauce, or spices to enhance the flavour.
- For an extra step, you can strain the broth to create a clear soup base and set the cooked vegetables aside.
Serving:
- Place a portable burner in the centre of your dining table and put the pot with the broth on it. Alternatively, you can use an electric hot pot or a stovetop.
- Arrange your choice of proteins, vegetables, and noodles around the hot pot so that each guest can select their desired ingredients.
- Enjoy the hot pot by simmering the chosen ingredients in the broth for a few minutes until cooked to their liking.
- Provide a variety of dipping sauces to enhance the flavours, such as sesame paste, garlic chilli sauce, or soy sauce.
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Selecting your protein
The protein you choose for your vegan hot pot is an important decision, as it will be the main source of sustenance and satisfaction for your guests. Here are some options to consider:
Tofu
Fried tofu puffs, organic firm tofu, and extra firm tofu are all great options for vegan hot pot. Tofu is a versatile ingredient that can be prepared in a variety of ways, making it a popular choice for hot pot. It has a mild flavour that can take on the taste of the broth and other ingredients, and its soft texture makes it easy to eat.
Tempeh
Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian plant-based protein source made from fermented soybeans. It has a firmer texture and a nuttier flavour than tofu, which some people prefer. It is also a good source of protein and can be cut into bite-sized pieces for hot pot.
Vegan sausages and vegan chicken
These meat alternatives are becoming increasingly popular and can be a great addition to your hot pot. They tend to be more processed than other options, so check the ingredients and choose a brand that suits your preferences.
Beans and legumes
While not as common, you can also consider adding beans or legumes to your hot pot for extra protein. This could include chickpeas, kidney beans, or even edamame beans, which are immature soybeans still in their pods.
Seitan
Seitan is a protein source made from wheat gluten and is often used as a meat substitute. It has a chewy texture that can be similar to meat, and it takes on flavours well. It is a good option for those who are looking for a higher-protein option, as it is a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids.
Remember, the beauty of hot pot is that you can customise it to your preferences and those of your guests. You can choose one type of protein or offer a variety for your guests to choose from.
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Picking your noodles
Noodles are a mandatory component of a vegan hot pot. You can use rice noodles, soba noodles, spaghetti, shirataki noodles, kelp noodles, or glass noodles. If you want to go the gluten-free route, opt for potato starch noodles or sweet potato noodles, which can be found at Korean or Chinese grocery stores.
Rice noodles, such as pho, should be cooked first and then drained and rinsed under cold water. This way, they can be warmed up by simply pouring hot broth over them.
If you're using frozen dumplings, there's no need to thaw them before adding them to the hot pot.
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Making the dipping sauce
Chinese-style sauce
A rich mix of Chinese sesame paste, Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sugar, chilli oil, garlic, and green onions. You can also add a few other ingredients to make the sauce even more fragrant and tasty.
Taiwanese Shacha sauce
A Taiwanese-style sauce to accompany your vegan hot pot.
Garlic sesame sauce
A garlic sesame sauce is another option for your vegan hot pot.
Japanese miso sauce
If you want to give your hot pot a Japanese twist, you can prepare a miso-based dipping sauce.
Spicy peanut sauce
A spicy peanut sauce will add a kick to your hot pot.
Sriracha or Hoisin sauce
These sauces are simple and classic options for a vegan hot pot.
Vegan hot pot sauce
You can also buy a vegan hot pot sauce from Asian markets. One source mentions finding a tasty vegan hot pot sauce at Nations, an Asian market in Hamilton.
Homemade sesame dipping sauce
To make your own sesame dipping sauce, you can follow this recipe:
Ingredients:
- Chopped cilantro (for garnish)
- Sliced green onion (for garnish)
- Sesame oil (optional)
- Chilli oil (optional)
Method:
- Make the dipping sauce by mixing it in a medium-sized bowl.
- Serve the chopped green onions and cilantro in separate bowls alongside the dipping sauce.
- You can also add small bowls of sesame oil and/or chilli oil on the side.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a variety of vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and noodles. For the vegetables, you can use carrots, daikon radish, napa cabbage, baby bok choy, watercress, spinach, and snow pea leaves. For protein, you can use fried tofu puffs, organic firm tofu, or bean curd. For carbs, you can use shirataki noodles or rice cakes.
You will need a large pot, long chopsticks or communal chopsticks, and a soup ladle. If you want to serve the hot pot at the table, you will also need a portable burner.
To make the broth, you can use vegetable broth, mushroom broth, or a combination of milk, water, and kombu. You can also add aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and green onion, as well as spices like paprika and chili flakes. Simmer the broth for at least one hour, up to three hours.
Place a portable burner in the center of the table and put the pot of broth on it. Arrange the vegetables, tofu, and noodles around the hot pot so each guest can choose what they want to cook. Each guest can add their chosen ingredients to the hot pot and let them simmer for a few minutes before transferring them to their bowls.
You can make a dipping sauce with Chinese sesame paste, Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sugar, chili oil, garlic, and green onions. You can also buy various types of hot pot dipping sauces from grocery stores.
