Instapot Hot Pot: A Multi-Purpose Cooking Sensation

Hot pot is a fun and delicious way to enjoy a meal with family and friends. It involves simmering thinly sliced meat, seafood, and vegetables in a pot of broth, with everyone taking turns cooking their food in the broth and then dipping it in various sauces. While dedicated hot pot pots and freestanding burners are available, you can easily use your Instant Pot to make hot pot at home. Simply place your Instant Pot in the middle of the table, add your chosen hot pot broth, and press the Sauté button, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the broth at a simmer. You can buy thinly-sliced meats ideal for hot pot at your local Asian grocery store, or cut your own with a sharp knife after popping the meat in the freezer to make it easier.

How to make a hot pot broth

There are many different types of hot pot broth, but they all follow a similar process. Here is a guide on how to make two of the most common types: Sichuan spicy broth and chicken stock-based mild broth.

Sichuan Spicy Broth

This type of broth has a high content of fat, usually beef tallow, and a strong, sophisticated aroma with a distinctive spicy and mouth-numbing taste.

Ingredients:

• Beef tallow (or cooking oil for a vegan alternative)
• Dried chilli peppers and Sichuan peppercorns
• Other spices such as star anise, cassia cinnamon, bay leaves, and Chinese black cardamom
• Aromatics such as scallions, onion, coriander, garlic, and ginger
• Sichuan chilli bean paste and fermented black beans
• Shaoxing rice wine and sugar, for balancing the flavour

Method:

• Rehydrate dried chillies in hot water until soft, then chop them into a coarse paste.
• Add Shaoxing rice wine to Sichuan peppercorns and set aside.
• Melt beef tallow in cooking oil over medium heat, infusing with star anise, cassia cinnamon, bay leaves, and Chinese black cardamom.
• Remove the spices and add scallions, sliced onion, and coriander to fry.
• After removing the aromatics from the oil, add the dried chilli paste, Sichuan chilli bean paste, fermented black beans, minced garlic, and ginger. Simmer to release their flavour.
• Finally, add sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, and rice wine.
• Transfer to a heatproof container and refrigerate. Allow 24 hours to develop the flavour.

Chicken Stock-Based Mild Broth

This type of broth is a general term for non-spicy broth that typically consists of stock, aromatics, herbs, and sometimes vegetables.

Ingredients:

• Chicken, chicken legs, or chicken thighs (or pork/beef bones for an alternative stock)
• Dried shiitake mushrooms
• Scallions
• Chinese dates (optional)
• Goji berries (optional)
• Ground white pepper

Method:

• Boil the chicken in water with sliced ginger. Skim off any froth and leave to simmer for 1½ – 2 hours until the water becomes milky.
• Pour the liquid into your hot pot and top up with hot water if needed.
• Add rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, scallions, Chinese dates, and goji berries (if using). Season with white pepper and salt.
• Once it starts boiling, you're ready to dip ingredients into the broth.

Tips:

• You can use a pre-bought chicken broth and add radish, shiitake, green onions, and ginger for a lighter broth.
• For a spicier broth, add more Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilli peppers.
• For a more aromatic broth, fry the spices and aromatics for longer.

What ingredients to use

When it comes to hot pot, the world is your oyster. The beauty of this communal dining experience is that you can choose whatever ingredients you like. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Meat

• Beef short ribs
• Brisket
• Chuck
• Ribeye
• Sirloin
• Flank steak
• Lamb shoulder or leg
• Pork belly
• Pork shoulder or loin

Seafood

• Manila clams
• Shrimp
• Squid
• Scallops
• Fish fillets (such as tilapia, bass, or flounder)
• Fish balls
• Seafood medley packs (shrimp, squid, scallops, mussels, and clams)

Vegetables

• Leafy greens (baby bok choy, napa cabbage, spinach, chrysanthemum leaves, pea tips, watercress)
• Lotus root
• Potato
• Sweet potato
• Pumpkin or kabocha squash
• Tomatoes
• Corn
• Mushrooms (enoki, shiitake, king oyster, beech, wood ear)

Tofu and Soy Products

• Bean threads (dried bean curd sticks)
• Soy puffs
• Frozen tofu
• Firm tofu
• Dried bean curd rolls
• Fresh tofu sheets/skin
• Fish tofu
• Beef balls
• Pork balls

Starches

• Vermicelli noodles
• Rice noodles
• Thin fresh white noodles
• Fresh spinach noodles
• Shirataki noodles
• Rice cakes
• Frozen dumplings
• Mung bean vermicelli
• Rice
• Udon
• Glass noodles

Condiments and Sauces

• Chinese sesame paste or sauce
• Peanut butter or peanut sauce
• Soy sauce
• Sha Cha sauce (Chinese BBQ sauce)
• Sichuan peppercorn oil
• Chili garlic sauce
• Chinese black vinegar/rice vinegar
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Fried shallots or garlic
• Scallions
• Cilantro

How to prepare your ingredients

The ingredients you use for your hot pot will depend on your personal preference, but there are some general guidelines to follow. Firstly, it is important to have a variety of proteins, vegetables, noodles or rice, and fresh herbs and aromatics.

For proteins, thinly sliced beef or pork is a popular choice, but you can also use tofu, shrimp, crab, fish, eggs, or Asian beef meatballs. If you are slicing the meat yourself, choose a fatty cut such as ribeye, brisket, or short ribs, and place it in the freezer for 15-45 minutes to make it easier to slice thinly. You can also buy pre-sliced meat from Asian grocery stores, which often sell meat specifically labelled for hot pot or shabu-shabu.

For vegetables, you can use a wide variety such as napa cabbage, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, baby corn, and garnishes like Thai basil, cilantro, and mint.

If you are using noodles, you can choose from a range of options such as egg noodles, ramen noodles, rice noodles, vermicelli noodles, or udon noodles. If you prefer rice, steamed white rice is a good option.

In addition to the main ingredients, you will also need dipping sauces. Popular options include soy sauce, sesame sauce, Thai peanut sauce, and oyster sauce. You can also make your own dipping sauce by combining crushed garlic, a pinch of salt, and enough sesame seed oil to cover, and letting it soak overnight.

Once you have gathered all your ingredients, clean and prepare them as needed. Cut the vegetables into small, bite-sized pieces and arrange them on a platter. If using dried noodles, place them in a cup or plate. Thinly slice the carrots or use a vegetable peeler to make long, thin ribbons. For tofu, cut it into cubes.

For the proteins, it is best to semi-freeze the meat before slicing it, as this will make it easier to cut and prevent the slices from sticking together. If using pre-cooked proteins like meatballs or tofu, you can simply arrange them on a platter.

By preparing a variety of ingredients and laying them out on platters, each person can choose what they want to cook in the hot pot broth.

How to cook your hot pot

Ingredients and Equipment

To cook a hot pot, you will need a selection of meats, seafood, and vegetables, as well as a pot of broth. You can also prepare dipping sauces.

For the broth, you can use chicken, beef, seafood, or vegetable stock. For protein, you can use thinly sliced meats, such as beef or pork, seafood, or tofu. For vegetables, you can use greens such as spinach, baby bok choy, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, and baby corn. You can also use noodles or rice as your carbohydrate source.

For dipping sauces, you can use soy sauce, sesame sauce, Thai peanut sauce, or oyster sauce.

In terms of equipment, you will need an Instant Pot, small serving bowls, chopsticks, soup spoons, small strainers, and ladles.

Preparation

Before you begin cooking, prepare your ingredients by slicing the meats and vegetables thinly. You can also cook the noodles beforehand and have them ready in a bowl.

Cooking

Fill your Instant Pot liner with water and set it to high saute. Once the water starts simmering, add a piece of kombu to flavor the broth. If you don't have kombu, you can add soy sauce, dashi seasoning, green onions, or Chinese-style broth seasonings.

Once the water starts boiling, add some of the larger pieces of vegetables that will take longer to cook, such as cabbage, noodles, and large mushrooms. Don't overcrowd the pot.

Serving

Using chopsticks or tongs, grab a piece of meat and swish it in the boiling water. It will only take a moment to cook. Remove the meat and vegetables from the pot and place them in an empty bowl to drain.

Grab your perfect bite, dip it into your chosen sauce, and enjoy! Repeat this process as desired.

Tips

• If your Instant Pot turns off automatically, simply press the "Cancel" button and then press the "Saute" button again.
• When your dipping sauce becomes diluted, discard it and get a fresh serving.
• When cooking the meat, foam may appear on the surface of the water. These are impurities from the meat and can be skimmed off, but they are not harmful to consume.

What to serve it with

When it comes to serving your Instapot hot pot, there are many options to choose from. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Vegetables

Napa cabbage, baby bok choy, daikon radish, enoki mushrooms, greens, and watercress are all great options to serve with your hot pot. You can also add spinach, cubed acorn squash, sliced red onions, and brown mushrooms. These vegetables can be cooked in the hot pot broth until tender, adding flavour to the broth and creating a delicious, healthy dish.

Meat

Thinly sliced meats such as pork loin or belly, rib eye, Wagyu steak, and lamb are perfect for hot pot. You can also add pre-baked meatballs, or make your own using recipes for Asian turkey meatballs, potstickers, or pork gyoza. For those who enjoy a heartier meal, thinly sliced beef and pork are excellent choices and can be more easily sliced when partially frozen.

Seafood

Seafood options such as shrimp, scallops, squid, clams, mussels, and fish balls can take your hot pot to the next level. These choices offer a variety of textures and flavours that will impress your guests. Just be sure to cook the seafood thoroughly in the hot pot broth.

Noodles

Rice, yam, cellophane noodles, ramen, or udon noodles are excellent choices to include in your hot pot. These can be added towards the end of the meal, as they only need to be heated through. You can also serve cooked noodles on the side for those who prefer a more filling option.

Dipping Sauces

A key part of the hot pot experience is the dipping sauces. You can make your own by combining crushed garlic, a pinch of salt, and sesame seed oil, and allowing it to soak overnight. Alternatively, you can set up a custom sauce station with various bottles and jars such as soy sauce, hot chili or sesame oil, rice vinegar, black bean sauce, minced garlic, and ginger. Your guests will enjoy creating their own unique dipping sauces to enhance their hot pot experience.

Frequently asked questions