The Art Of Heating A Hot Pot: A Guide To Mastering The Perfect Broth

Hot pot is a fun and social meal to share with family and friends. It's a great dining experience, where everyone cooks their food in a communal pot of broth.

To get started, you'll need a heat source, such as a portable gas, electric, or induction burner, and a wide, shallow pot. You'll also need chopsticks, plates, bowls for dipping sauces, and a slotted ladle or spoon.

For the food, the key ingredients are thinly sliced meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and noodles. You can also add dumplings, mushrooms, and various types of broth for extra flavour.

To prepare, simply wash and chop all the ingredients, arrange them on plates around the pot, and let everyone cook their food in the broth. It's a fun and interactive way to enjoy a meal with friends and family!

Choosing a broth

Spicy Broth

A spicy broth is a popular choice for hot pots, especially in Chinese cuisine. This type of broth typically contains beef tallow or cooking oil, dried chilli peppers, Sichuan pepper, and various spices and aromatics. It is known for its rich, aromatic flavour and distinctive mouth-numbing sensation.

Mild Broth

A mild broth is a good option if you prefer a less spicy option. It typically consists of chicken or beef stock, aromatics, herbs, and sometimes vegetables. It is light and easy to prepare. You can also add other ingredients such as mushrooms, scallions, and goji berries to enhance the flavour.

Chicken Broth

Chicken broth is a popular choice for hot pots as it has a light taste and is not too spicy. It is a good option if you want to enjoy the original flavours of the food without overwhelming the broth.

Beef or Pork Bone Broth

If you want a creamier and richer broth, you can opt for beef or pork bone broth. These broths add extra flavour and creaminess to the hot pot.

Seafood Broth

For seafood lovers, a seafood broth is an excellent choice. It is nourishing and can be paired with various types of seafood, such as shrimp, crab, or fish.

Vegetable Broth

A vegetable broth is a versatile option and can be customised to your taste. You can use vegetables that complement Asian flavours, such as greens (spinach, bok choy), mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers.

When choosing a broth, consider the type of cuisine you want to showcase, the level of spiciness you prefer, and the ingredients you plan to cook in the hot pot. You can also opt for a divided pot to serve two different types of broth and offer a variety of flavours to your guests.

Preparing the ingredients

Meat

Meat is a popular choice for hot pot. It is important to slice the meat thinly so that it cooks quickly in the broth. Beef, pork, and chicken are common choices, with beef short ribs and brisket being particularly favoured. If you are buying pre-sliced meat, look for it in the refrigerated or frozen section of Asian supermarkets. You can also slice the meat yourself by partially freezing the meat to firm it up and then slicing it thinly.

Seafood

Seafood is another popular option for hot pot. Shrimp, squid, scallops, and fish fillets are all good choices. If you want to add a unique texture to your hot pot, try fish balls, which are not very fishy and have a great texture. They come in a variety of flavours such as shrimp, squid, and cuttlefish.

Vegetables

A variety of vegetables can be used in hot pot, but it is important to cut them into small pieces so that they cook quickly. Leafy greens such as napa cabbage, bok choy, and chrysanthemum greens are popular choices. Other vegetables such as pumpkin, tomatoes, and corn can also be used, but be sure to cut them into smaller pieces.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms add a great umami flavour to the hot pot. Enoki, shiitake, oyster, and king oyster mushrooms are all good choices. Simply trim the ends and slice them thinly.

Tofu and Bean Curd

Tofu is a must-have ingredient for hot pot as it soaks up all the flavours of the broth. Firm tofu, frozen tofu, and fried tofu puffs are all great choices. Simply drain the tofu and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Bean curd sticks and dried bean curd rolls are also tasty additions to your hot pot.

Noodles and Starches

Noodles are the carb of choice for hot pot. Thin noodles such as mung bean vermicelli, rice noodles, and shirataki noodles are excellent choices as they cook quickly and soak up the flavours of the broth. Dumplings, especially frozen ones that are already cooked, are also a tasty addition.

Cooking the food

Once you've got your broth boiling away, it's time to start cooking your ingredients. The beauty of hot pot is that there are no real rules, but here are some general guidelines to follow.

Firstly, it's important to wait until the broth is boiling before adding any ingredients. This will ensure that your food cooks quickly and remains juicy. It's also a good idea to only add a small amount of food at a time, as overcrowding the pot will cause the broth temperature to drop and slow down the cooking process.

When it comes to cooking times, meat and seafood will only need a minute or two, while vegetables can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 15 minutes depending on their size and type. For example, leafy greens like spinach only need a quick dip, while starchy veggies like potatoes will take longer to cook through. Frozen fish balls and meatballs will need a few minutes to heat through, and noodles should be cooked according to the package instructions.

One of the great things about hot pot is that you can choose what you want to eat and cook it to your preferred doneness. So if you like your beef rare, just give it a quick swish in the broth before removing it. If you're cooking for a group, it's important to only cook the food you plan to eat, as leaving food in the broth for too long can make it dry and overcooked.

Don't forget to use a ladle or strainer to remove the food from the pot, rather than your chopsticks. This will make it easier to find your food and prevent overcooking.

Dipping sauces

Hot pot is a highly customizable meal, and the same goes for the dipping sauces. Here are some ideas for your hot pot dipping sauces:

Light Sesame Soy

This simple recipe is perfect for those who are in the mood for an Asian-inspired dish. Combine sesame oil, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, minced garlic, and chopped spring onion. To top it off, sprinkle some sesame seeds for a crunchy texture.

Chilli Oil Vinegar Dip

Chilli oil is the main ingredient in this recipe, and it adds a wonderful flavor and kick to the dip. Combine chilli oil with minced garlic, black vinegar, light soy sauce, and chopped spring onion. This dip is perfect for dipping vegetables, meat, and more.

Creamy Dashi Garlic

This recipe for creamy dashi garlic sauce is perfect for a variety of dishes. Combine peanut butter, minced garlic, and chopped coriander.

Honey Miso Dip

This easy dip sauce recipe is a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and savory. Combine chopped spring onion, chopped coriander, and honey miso.

Spicy Peanut Dip (great for meat)

This spicy peanut dip is an easy and flavorful recipe that you can make quickly. The main ingredient is peanut butter, which adds a creaminess and a nutty flavor. Make sure you use a quality peanut butter with no added sugar to keep this dish healthy. Pair it with dou ban jiang (a popular bean paste used in Sichuan cuisine) to add a nice heat to the dip.

Classic Spicy and Sweet Chilli

The classic spicy and sweet chilli sauce is perfect for dipping your favorite meat and vegetable dishes. Combine chilli paste, sweet chilli sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli flakes, and chopped coriander.

Hot and Sour Garlic Sauce

Combine McDonald's garlic chilli sauce, black/rice vinegar, and light soy sauce.

Taiwanese Shacha Sauce

This sauce is made from soybean oil, garlic, shallots, chillies, brill fish, and dried shrimp. It's an umami bomb and so delicious. Shacha is from Taiwan and the best brand is Bullhead, which comes in a little silver can with a resealable top.

Creamy Garlic Sesame Sauce

Combine sesame paste, dashi powder, black vinegar, and minced garlic.

Spicy Garlic Hot Sauce

Combine minced garlic, red chilli, green onion, Korean red chilli flakes, ground Sichuan pepper, sesame seeds, black vinegar, and oyster sauce.

Other ideas

• Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar
• Fish sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Chili oil or chili garlic sauce/Sriracha
• Chopped chilli peppers
• Chopped scallions
• Chopped cilantro
• Roasted chopped peanuts
• Toasted sesame seeds
• XO sauce
• Fermented bean curd
• White pepper
• Sichuan peppercorn powder
• Sugar
• MSG

Table setup

Setting up the table for a hot pot meal is simple. The most important thing is to have a burner and a pot in the centre of the table. The burner should be portable and not charcoal, as this will fill the room with carbon monoxide. A gas or induction burner is a good option, or a two-in-one pot connected to an electric source.

The pot should be shallow, so food doesn't get lost at "the bottom". A Chinese stainless steel hot pot is ideal, as it is wide and deep enough to hold plenty of food. It also heats up quickly. A split pot is useful if you want to serve two types of soup, or to keep one side for meat and the other for vegetables.

Around the pot, arrange the raw ingredients on plates or trays. Keep the meats, seafood, dumplings, vegetables and noodles separate. You'll also need small bowls for each person to assemble their own dipping sauce, and a slotted ladle to fish the cooked food out of the pot.

Each person should have a bowl, a plate, chopsticks and a napkin. It's also a good idea to have tongs and a hot pot strainer, so people can scoop their food out of the pot.

Frequently asked questions