Mongolian Hot Pot Mystery: Unraveling The Gluten-Free Conundrum

Mongolian hot pot is a popular dish in northern China, often enjoyed during celebrations and holidays, or simply on cold winter nights. It involves cooking various raw ingredients in a large pot of broth, making it an interactive and festive meal. While the dish is typically made with a variety of meats, vegetables, and sauces, those with dietary restrictions may wonder if it can be made gluten-free. The answer is yes, as most of the ingredients used are naturally gluten-free, and gluten-containing sauces can be avoided or substituted.

Gluten-free Mongolian hot pot restaurants

If you're looking for a gluten-free Mongolian hot pot experience, there are a few restaurants that offer gluten-free options or gluten-free menus. Here are some options to consider:

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot, located at 2575 Pacific Coast Highway Torrance, CA 90505, has been reported to offer a gluten-free menu with items marked as gluten-free. The broths, which you use to cook vegetables in, are also said to be gluten-free and come in regular and spicy versions. However, it's important to note that this establishment is not a dedicated gluten-free facility, and those with celiac disease should contact the restaurant directly to inquire about safety precautions.

HuHot Mongolian Grill

HuHot Mongolian Grill also offers gluten-free options. While their specific gluten-free menu items are unclear, their website mentions "gluten-free gluttony," indicating that they cater to gluten-free diets.

General Tips for Gluten-Free Mongolian Hot Pot

When dining out for Mongolian hot pot, it's generally recommended to check the broths and avoid soy sauce or any sauces that contain soy sauce as an ingredient, unless explicitly labelled gluten-free. Most of the items for hot pot, such as raw meats and vegetables, are naturally gluten-free. However, it's always a good idea to inquire with the staff about the ingredients in the broths and sauces to ensure they meet your dietary requirements.

Gluten-free Mongolian hot pot recipes

Mongolian hot pot is a popular soup in northern China. It is similar to fondue, with a large pot of broth and various raw ingredients that everyone cooks themselves. It is an interactive, fun, and festive meal. Here are some gluten-free Mongolian hot pot recipes that you can try:

Jeanette's Healthy Living's Mongolian Hot Pot:

This recipe serves ten people and features thinly sliced lamb, cellophane noodles, tofu, and leafy green Chinese vegetables. The dipping sauce is made with roasted sesame paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry, vinegar, sugar, and spicy red chili oil.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound thinly sliced lamb
• 4 ounces cellophane noodles, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
• 1 pound bok choy or spinach, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 6 tablespoons roasted sesame paste or peanut butter
• 6 tablespoons warm water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sherry
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot chili oil

Instructions:

• Make the sesame dipping sauce by blending the sesame paste with warm water in a medium bowl. Add salt, soy sauce, sherry, cider vinegar, sugar, and hot chili oil. Spoon the sauce into four small serving bowls.
• Heat the chicken broth in a hot pot (use an electric wok, electric skillet, or portable induction cooktop).
• Place the sliced lamb, drained cellophane noodles, and bok choy in separate bowls around the hot pot.
• To serve, each person takes a piece of sliced lamb and dips it into the hot broth to cook for a few seconds. They then remove it to their bowl of sauce to eat.
• Once everyone is done cooking the lamb, add the tofu, noodles, and bok choy to the hot pot and cook for a few minutes until done. Divide the contents among everyone's bowls, adding more sauce if desired.

MyRecipes' Mongolian Hot Pot:

This recipe includes beef, bok choy, mushrooms, carrots, green onions, and soba noodles in a flavorful broth.

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 8 ounces flank steak, thinly sliced and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 7 cups thinly sliced bok choy (about 1 pound)
• 1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 2 ounces)
• 1 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices carrot
• ½ cup thinly sliced green onions
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 (14-ounce) cans less-sodium beef broth
• 4 ounces uncooked soba (buckwheat) noodles
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons dark sesame oil

Instructions:

• Combine the ginger, soy sauce, red pepper, steak, and garlic in a large zip-top plastic bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 1/2 hours, turning the bag occasionally.
• Heat a small Dutch oven over high heat and coat it with cooking spray. Add the beef mixture and stir-fry for about 1 minute until browned. Remove the beef and set it aside.
• Add the bok choy, mushrooms, carrot, and green onions to the pot and stir-fry for about 2 minutes until the bok choy starts to wilt.
• Add water, hoisin sauce, and beef broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Stir in the noodles, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until the noodles are done.
• Stir in the beef mixture and vinegar. Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle each serving with sesame oil.

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef:

This recipe features tender beef, broccoli, and a sweet sauce. It is a quick and easy way to enjoy takeout at home and can be made in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked quinoa, white rice, jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or brown rice for serving
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
• 1/2 cup water or beef broth
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch or cornstarch
• 2 cups broccoli florets, chopped small
• 4 stalks green onions
• Sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, or sriracha sauce (optional)

Instructions:

• Cook the rice or quinoa according to the package instructions and set aside.
• Cut the flank steak into thin pieces against the grain and set aside.
• Turn on the Instant Pot's saute setting and heat the olive oil or sesame oil. Work in batches to sear the steak on each side for 1-2 minutes.
• While the steak is searing, whisk together the coconut aminos or soy sauce with the garlic, ginger, and water.
• After searing the steak, cancel the saute setting and pour the liquid mixture over the steak. Lock the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
• Whisk together the cornstarch or tapioca starch with cold water in a small dish.
• Quick-release the pressure and carefully remove the lid. Add the cornstarch mixture, honey, and broccoli to the pot. Push the saute button and stir frequently until the sauce thickens.
• Serve over rice or quinoa and top with green onions and optional sesame seeds or red pepper flakes.

Eat Smarter's Mongolian Hot Pot:

This recipe includes a variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables cooked in a chicken soup base.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Mirepoix (chopped)
• 1 spring chicken (approx. 1.4 kg, ready-to-cook)
• 2 cups veal fillet (diced)
• 2 cups chicken breasts (diced)

Gluten-free ingredients to use

A traditional Mongolian hot pot typically includes thinly sliced meats, vegetables, noodles, and a dipping sauce. Here are some gluten-free ingredients you can use to make a delicious and safe hot pot:

Gluten-Free Ingredients for Mongolian Hot Pot:

Broth:

• Start with a gluten-free broth as the base for your hot pot. You can make your own broth using ingredients such as chicken stock, water, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic.
• Ensure that any store-bought broth is gluten-free, as many varieties contain gluten.

Meats:

Thinly sliced meats such as lamb, beef, chicken, or pork are commonly used in hot pots. Ensure that the meats are gluten-free by checking for any breading or seasoning that may contain gluten.

Seafood:

Seafood options like fish, shrimp, scallops, crab, lobster, clams, mussels, or squid can be added to your hot pot. Just be sure to check for gluten in any seasonings or marinades.

Vegetables:

Vegetables are a key component of a Mongolian hot pot. Bok choy, spinach, napa cabbage, mushrooms, and green onions are all great gluten-free options.

Noodles:

When choosing noodles, opt for gluten-free varieties such as rice noodles, bean thread noodles (made from mung bean starch), or cellophane noodles. These will ensure your hot pot is safe for those with gluten intolerances.

Dipping Sauce:

For the dipping sauce, you can make a gluten-free option by using gluten-free soy sauce, roasted sesame paste or peanut butter, warm water, sherry, cider vinegar, and hot chili oil.

Remember to avoid common gluten-containing ingredients such as wheat noodles, soy sauce (unless explicitly gluten-free), and sauces that may contain wheat products. By choosing gluten-free alternatives and carefully checking ingredient lists, you can create a delicious and safe Mongolian hot pot for everyone to enjoy!

Gluten-containing ingredients to avoid

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It is also present in many other grains, including spelt, farro, and kamut. When following a gluten-free diet, it is essential to be vigilant about checking ingredient labels and understanding the various forms gluten can take.

• Wheat protein/hydrolyzed wheat protein
• Wheat starch/hydrolyzed wheat starch
• Wheat flour/bread flour/bleached flour
• Rye flour or rye bread
• Barley flakes, flour, or pearl
• Bulgur (a form of wheat)
• Malt, malt extract, malt syrup, malt flavoring, malt vinegar, malted milk, or malted barley flour
• Spelt, farro, or dinkel (types of wheat)
• Farina (made from wheat)
• Couscous (made from wheat)
• Breading or bread stuffing
• Graham flour (a type of whole-wheat flour)
• Seitan (made from wheat gluten)
• Durum wheat or semolina (a type of wheat)
• Kamut (a type of wheat)
• Einkorn (a type of wheat)
• Emmer (a type of wheat)
• Fu (a gluten product made from wheat)
• Wheat or barley grass (often cross-contaminated)
• Wheat germ oil or extract (often cross-contaminated)
• Brewer's yeast (often contaminated with gluten grain or malt)
• Oatmeal, oat bran, oat flour, and whole oats (unless they are from pure, uncontaminated oats)
• Modified starch/modified food starch (can be made from wheat)
• Natural and artificial flavorings (can be made from barley)
• Caramel color (check with the manufacturer if unsure)
• Vegetable protein/hydrolyzed vegetable protein (can be made from wheat)
• Dextrin and maltodextrin (sometimes made from wheat)

Additionally, when dining out or purchasing pre-made foods, it is important to be cautious of cross-contamination. This can occur in deep fryers, shared utensils, storage containers, and preparation surfaces. It is always best to inquire about safety precautions and only consume gluten-free options from trusted sources.

Gluten-free dipping sauces

A traditional Mongolian hot pot is a gluten-free meal, as it primarily consists of raw meats, vegetables, and Asian spices. However, the dipping sauces and broths can sometimes contain gluten, so it is important to be cautious when choosing these.

• Taiwanese Shacha Dipping Sauce: This sauce typically includes garlic, Shacha sauce (a savoury spicy condiment), coconut aminos, rice vinegar, scallions, toasted sesame oil, and optionally, Thai chilli peppers.
• Garlic Sesame Sauce: A great alternative for those who don't like spicy sauces. It is made with Chinese sesame paste, cashew butter, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, garlic cloves, shiitake mushroom seasoning, and water. If you are allergic to nut butter, you can substitute it with sunflower seed butter.
• Japanese Sesame Miso Sauce: This sauce is creamy and rich in umami flavour from the miso paste. It includes white or chickpea miso paste, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, Chinese sesame paste, coconut aminos, toasted white sesame seeds, and water.
• Spicy Peanut Sauce: A sweet and spicy sauce inspired by Taiwanese dan dan noodles. It includes unsalted peanut butter or almond butter, coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, water, and optionally, garlic chilli sauce and cilantro.

When preparing a gluten-free Mongolian hot pot, it is important to avoid soy sauce and any sauces that use it as an ingredient, as soy sauce typically contains wheat products. Instead, opt for gluten-free soy sauce alternatives. Additionally, be cautious of pre-made hot pot soup bases and common add-ins like wheat noodles, dumplings, fish cakes, and fish balls, as these often contain gluten.

Frequently asked questions