Malatang's Fiery Seduction: The Hot Pot That Leaves A Lasting Impression

Malatang is a type of hot pot that originated in Sichuan, China. It is a quick version of the traditional hot pot, where diners cook their food in a private table. In contrast, malatang is typically served as street food, with ingredients cooked in a communal pot. Customers pick their desired ingredients, which are then cooked in a spicy broth by the vendor and served in a bowl. The name malatang means spicy numbing hot soup, with ma symbolising the numbing flavour and la representing dried chilli pepper.

Malatang is a quick, spicy hot pot version from Sichuan, China

Malatang is a popular street food, often served in a communal pot. It is a more convenient alternative to traditional hot pot, which requires a group of people and a longer preparation and dining time. In contrast, Malatang can be enjoyed by solo diners or as a quick bite while on the go. It is typically served in a personal serving bowl, with the chosen ingredients cooked in a spicy broth.

The name Malatang comes from the Chinese characters "málàtàng", which literally means "spicy numbing hot soup". The primary ingredient of this broth is mala soy sauce, with ""ma" representing the numbing flavour and "la" the dried chilli pepper. The soup creates a tongue-numbing effect from the combination of chilli oil, Sichuan pepper, dried chillies, peppercorns, garlic, and other spices.

The beauty of Malatang is that it can be customised to individual tastes and preferences. Diners can choose from a variety of ingredients, including meats, vegetables, tofu, and starches. Popular choices include spam, tofu skin, seaweed, crab meat, beef, lotus root, potato, mushrooms, and sweet potato noodles. The chosen ingredients are then cooked in the spicy Malatang broth, creating a flavourful and satisfying meal.

Malatang has spread beyond Sichuan and can now be found in other parts of Asia, including Korea and Japan. It has also gained popularity among food enthusiasts worldwide, with some people even creating their own homemade versions.

It is served as a street food and is cooked in a communal pot

Malatang is a common type of Chinese street food that originated in Sichuan, China. It is named after its key ingredient, mala sauce, which is flavoured with Sichuan pepper and dried chilli pepper. The word "málà" is composed of the Chinese characters for "numbing" and "spicy (hot)", referring to the feeling in the mouth after eating the sauce.

Malatang is typically served as a street food and is cooked in a communal pot. It is a more casual and quicker version of a hot pot. In ancient times, boating was a big industry in Sichuan, and Malatang is said to have been created by boat trackers who cooked herbs in a pot with Sichuan pepper and ginger to eliminate the dampness of the damp and foggy weather.

When served as street food, Malatang is usually prepared in a large, flat saucepan set up on a table on the street. Customers sit around the table and choose various ingredients cooked in a mildly spicy broth. The ingredients are placed on skewers, and customers pick what they want to eat. The price is determined by counting the number of empty skewers after a customer finishes eating.

Malatang offers a wide range of ingredients, including fresh and instant noodles, various types of tofu, vegetables, meats, and seafood. It is a popular and customizable dish that can be found in many parts of China and other countries with Chinese communities.

The name malatang means a spicy numbing hot soup

The name "malatang" comes from the Chinese words "ma", meaning "numbing", and "la", meaning "spicy". The name refers to the distinctive numbing and spicy flavour of the soup base, usually made with Sichuan peppercorns and chilli peppers. The primary ingredient of this broth is mala sauce, which is made with a combination of Sichuan pepper and dried chilli pepper. The word mala is composed of the Chinese characters for "numbing" (麻) and "spicy" (辣), referring to the feeling in the mouth after eating the sauce.

Malatang is a popular Chinese street food that consists of a spicy hot pot soup base with a variety of ingredients such as vegetables, meats, seafood, and noodles. It is a more casual version of hot pot, where the ingredients are cooked in the soup base by the diners themselves. In contrast, malatang is cooked in a communal pot on the street, and diners can quickly choose their desired ingredients to be cooked and either eat on the spot or take away. The price is calculated based on the number of skewers or the weight of the chosen ingredients.

Malatang originated in Sichuan, China, along the Yangtze River. It is said that the dish was created by boat trackers who, in ancient times, cooked herbs, Sichuan pepper, and ginger in a pot of soup to stay warm and healthy during the damp and foggy weather. Over time, malatang spread throughout China and even to other countries with Chinese communities, such as Korea and Japan.

The primary ingredients of this broth are mala soy sauce, dried chilli pepper and Sichuan peppercorns

Malatang is a Sichuan dish of skewered meat and vegetables cooked in a spicy broth. The primary ingredients of this broth are mala soy sauce, dried chilli pepper, and Sichuan peppercorns.

Mala soy sauce is a type of Chinese soy sauce that is made from water, soybean, wheat, salt, and time. The sauce gets its deep red colour from a proprietary recipe that ferments soybeans with the prized "mouth mushroom", a type of white mushroom that is one of the most expensive and in-demand mushrooms in China. The result is a deep, rich, smooth umami flavour.

Dried chilli peppers are versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. They can be toasted and ground into a powder, rehydrated and turned into a paste, or sliced and diced into salsa. They deliver the fullest version of an individual pepper's distinctive flavour.

Sichuan peppercorns are not actually peppers but are the berries of the prickly ash tree, a member of the citrus family. They are harvested once a year in late summer and laid out to dry naturally in the sun. As they dry, the berries open up into a floral shape, earning the spice its local nickname, "flower pepper". The peppercorns induce a tingling sensation, similar to drinking a carbonated drink, and are a key component of Sichuan cuisine's numbing and spicy flavour profile, known as mala.

Malatang is a sit-down meal for two or more people with a boiling hot broth in the middle of the table

Malatang is a quick version of hot pot that originated in Sichuan, China. It is typically served as a street food, with vendors cooking the ingredients to order and serving them in a personal bowl with the hot broth. The name malatang means "spicy numbing hot soup", with "ma" symbolising the numbing flavour and "la" representing dried chilli pepper. The dish is characterised by its tongue-numbing effect, achieved through a combination of chilli oil, Sichuan pepper, dried chillies, peppercorns, garlic and other spices.

While hot pot is a group activity that can last several hours, malatang is designed for solo diners or quick street eats. In a malatang meal, diners choose their own ingredients, which are then cooked by the vendor in a communal pot. The food can be eaten on the spot or taken away.

The standard way to eat hot pot is to have a pot of broth in the middle of the table, with raw ingredients placed around it. Diners then add the ingredients to the pot and cook them themselves. However, malatang offers a more convenient option for those who don't want to assemble a group or spend time cleaning up afterwards.

The base of a malatang meal almost always features noodles, usually wide sweet potato noodles that are gluten-free and chewy. In addition to noodles, diners can choose from a variety of meats, vegetables, tofu and starches to cook in the broth. Popular ingredients include spam, tofu skin, seaweed, thinly sliced fatty beef, beef tripe, lotus root, potato, enoki mushrooms and soy bean sprouts.

Frequently asked questions