The Savory Secrets Of Chinese Hot Pot

Chinese hot pot, or huǒguō, is an interactive and social dining experience with a long history in China. It is a meal in which a group of people sit around a pot of seasoned broth, which is heated and kept simmering throughout the meal. Each person has their own selection of raw ingredients, such as thinly sliced meat, seafood, tofu, and vegetables, which they add to the broth and cook to their liking. The cooked food is then dipped into individual sauces before eating.

The broth can be customised to suit different tastes, with popular options including mushroom, tomato, and spicy Sichuan-style. The dipping sauces can also be tailored to personal preference, with common ingredients including sesame sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, and chilli garlic sauce.

Hot pot is a popular meal in China, with restaurants ranging from casual to upscale, and it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, including the United States and Switzerland.

The history of Chinese hot pot

Chinese hot pot, or huǒ guō, has a long history of over 1,000 years. The first form of hot pot is believed to have appeared during the Shang and Zhou dynasties (c. 1600-256 BC), with the emergence of copper pots during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD) being a relatively recognised origin of the dish. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589), people began to use hot pots to cook chicken and duck, and the dish became especially popular during the global cooling period.

The hot pot's roots can be traced back to the dining practices of Mongolian horsemen, who rode into northern China and cooked broth in their helmets over open fires. The Mongols also incorporated beef and lamb into the dish, influencing the Northern Chinese style of hot pot. Over time, hot pot spread throughout China, with each region adapting it to their local ingredients and tastes.

The most famous variation of hot pot is the Chongqing or Sichuan variety, which features a dark-red broth filled with spices, chilli peppers, and the mouth-numbing Sichuan pepper. Beijing-style hot pot tends to be milder in comparison, while Manchurian hot pot uses fermented sauerkraut to create a sour broth.

Hot pot became popular among the emperors of the Qing dynasty, particularly the Qianlong Emperor, who was very fond of the dish. In the early 19th century, the first appearance of what we now know as Sichuan hot pot emerged, credited to the Yangtze River fishermen of the 1820s who used a communal spicy broth to cook their meals. The first hot pot restaurant opened in Chongqing in the 1930s, and today, the dish has achieved worldwide fame.

Typical ingredients and preparation

Chinese hot pot is a highly customizable meal, with a variety of ingredients and broths to choose from. Here is a detailed guide to the typical ingredients and preparation methods for a delicious Chinese hot pot experience:

Broth

The broth is the foundation of a hot pot and can be prepared in various ways. A basic broth typically includes chicken, ginger, goji berries, and other aromatics. Other popular options include mushroom broth, sweet-and-sour tomato broth, and the bold and spicy Chongqing variant, which features Sichuan peppercorns, red chillies, and preserved mustard greens. For a unique twist, some restaurants offer a combination of broths served in a divided pot.

Dipping Ingredients

The beauty of a hot pot lies in its customizability. A typical selection of dipping ingredients includes thinly sliced meats such as pork belly, lamb shoulder, and filet mignon. Seafood options like shrimp, fish balls, and squid are also popular. Vegetables, noodles, dumplings, and rice cakes provide a balanced variety of textures and flavours. Some restaurants offer combination platters with a mix of proteins and vegetables, ensuring a well-rounded hot pot experience.

Sauces

The dipping sauce is an essential component of the hot pot experience, allowing diners to personalize their meal. Common sauce bases include Chinese sesame paste, peanut butter, soy sauce, and Sha Cha (Chinese BBQ sauce). Additional flavourings such as Sichuan peppercorn oil, chili garlic sauce, and toasted sesame seeds can be added to taste. For an extra kick of umami, try the chive flower sauce if it's available.

Preparation and Cooking

The preparation and cooking process is just as important as the ingredients themselves. Here's a step-by-step guide:

• Equipment: You'll need a heat source such as a portable electric burner or a tabletop gas burner. A specialized electric hot pot burner with a removable pot is ideal. You'll also need chopsticks, preferably bamboo or wooden ones for heat resistance. Sauce bowls and metal hot pot baskets or wire ladles are also useful.
• Broth Preparation: Prepare the broth by stewing bones with seasonings like salt and ginger until the flavours infuse into the liquid. Alternatively, use packaged hot pot soup bases for convenience.
• Ingredient Preparation: Slice meats and seafood thinly to ensure quick and consistent cooking. Pre-cook meat and seafood balls, as they only need to be heated through. Cut vegetables into manageable pieces – baby leafy greens can be left whole, while larger leaves should be cut into smaller pieces.
• Cooking Process: Place the broth in a wide, shallow pot on a heat source in the centre of the table. Provide individual plates of raw ingredients and dipping sauce ingredients for each diner. Allow the broth to come to a boil, then add the ingredients and cook thoroughly before consuming. Remember to maintain a high broth temperature to ensure food safety, especially when cooking raw meats.
• Dipping and Enjoying: Once the ingredients are cooked to your liking, dip them into your chosen sauce and enjoy! Repeat this process, adding more ingredients to the broth as you go. Remember to cook ingredients gradually and pace yourself to avoid overcooking certain items.

Regional varieties of hot pot

Chinese hot pot has become a global phenomenon, with different regions adapting it to their local flavours and ingredients. Here are some of the most popular regional varieties of hot pot:

Beijing-Style Hotpot

The Beijing-style hotpot is characterised by its simplicity and the use of copper Mongolian pots. Thinly-sliced mutton is one of the most important ingredients, along with tender meat and fresh, leafy vegetables. The ingredients are cooked in clear water or a lightly flavoured broth, with some scallions, goji berries and ginger. The traditional dipping sauce, Zhīmajiàng, is made from sesame and has a strong, sweet taste.

Chongqing Hotpot

Chongqing is often considered China's "hotpot capital", with thousands of hotpot restaurants in the city. Chongqing hotpot is known for its heavily flavoured broth and numbing spiciness, created with red hot chilli and Sichuan peppercorns. It often includes fresh máodù (cow stomach) and sesame oil is used as a dipping sauce to balance the spice.

Yunnan Hotpot

Yunnan hotpot has become increasingly popular across China in recent years. It is characterised by its rich broth flavour and focus on fresh vegetables, mushrooms and edible flowers. It is often served with a variety of dipping sauces mixed with sesame oil and chilli. Yunnan hotpot restaurants also offer a range of side dishes, such as fresh mint salad and fried crickets.

Coconut Chicken Hotpot

Coconut Chicken hotpot uses Hainan chicken and fresh coconut milk as its main ingredients. This is a healthier option as the broth is not made with butter or fatty oils. A dipping sauce made with soy sauce and lime juice adds an extra kick of flavour.

Spicy and Sour Fish Hot Pot

This style of hotpot is based on the popular Guizhou 'Sour Fish soup' dish, with tomato and rice soup as the main ingredients. It is one of the many southern-style hotpots that focus on fish and seafood, which is especially popular in Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine.

Chrysanthemum Flower Hotpot

This distinctive type of hotpot comes from Jiangsu-Zhejiang cuisines and is well-known in Hangzhou and Suzhou. It is usually made with chicken stock and cooked with chrysanthemum petals, resulting in a soft and tender flavour.

How to eat hot pot

Chinese hot pot is an interactive and social meal, perfect for a close-knit group of family or friends. It is a fun and unique dining experience, and with so many variations of hot pot, it is easy to personalise to your tastes.

To eat hot pot, you will need a heat source, a pot, and some chopsticks. A specialised electric hot pot burner is ideal, but any portable heat source will work. A Chinese stainless steel hot pot is the best option for the pot, as it is wide and deep enough to hold a good amount of food. Bamboo or wooden chopsticks are also recommended, as they are heat resistant.

You will also need some small bowls for sauce, and some metal hot pot baskets or wire ladles. The ladles are not essential, but they are very useful for cooking and retrieving food from the pot.

First, prepare your broth. This can be as simple as a chicken soup with goji berries, ginger, and scallions, or you can try a mushroom broth, a sweet-and-sour tomato broth, or a fiery Sichuan broth.

Next, prepare your raw ingredients. Hot pot is typically served with thinly sliced raw meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and starches. Meat options include beef, lamb, and pork, and seafood can include whole shrimp, sliced fish fillets, and squid. For vegetables, try leafy greens such as bok choy or spinach, and other veggies like pumpkin, tomatoes, and corn. There are also lots of options for starches and tofu, such as rice noodles, dumplings, and bean curd.

Place your broth in the pot and bring it to a boil. While you are waiting for the broth to heat, you can prepare your dipping sauce. There are lots of options for this, including sesame paste, peanut butter, soy sauce, or Sha Cha (Chinese BBQ sauce). You can also add extra flavourings such as Sichuan peppercorn oil, chilli garlic sauce, or toasted sesame seeds.

Once your broth is boiling, you can start adding your ingredients. It is important to only add a few ingredients at a time, so as not to lower the temperature of the broth and end up with undercooked food. Make sure you cook ingredients thoroughly before eating, and allow the broth to come back to a boil between batches. Use your ladles or chopsticks to retrieve your food from the pot, dip it into your sauce, and enjoy!

Hot pot restaurants and pricing

Hot pot restaurants are typically family-style, with diners cooking their food in a communal pot of broth at their table. The price of hot pot varies depending on the restaurant and location, but it can range from around $30 to upwards of $50 per person for all-you-can-eat options. Some restaurants offer individual portions, which may be priced à la carte. Here are some examples of hot pot restaurants and their pricing:

99 Favor Taste

99 Favor Taste is a popular hot pot restaurant with multiple locations in New York City, including Sunset Park, the Lower East Side, Flushing, and Brooklyn. It offers all-you-can-eat hot pot and Korean barbecue, with a variety of sauces, meats, and vegetables. The original pig bone broth is the most popular, but they also offer a kimchi broth with rice cakes. The price is around $30 per person for all-you-can-eat hot pot, barbecue, or a combination of both. On your birthday, you can dine for free or within three days of it.

Dolar Shop

Dolar Shop is a chain of hot pot restaurants with locations in Flushing, New York, and the East Village. It offers a more upscale experience with higher-end ingredients like wagyu beef and top-notch seafood, making it pricier than some other restaurants. The soup is served in individual pots with a choice of one broth. A unique feature is their signature "silver broth", made with chicken and pork bones and simmered for eight hours. The price for the all-you-can-eat option is $32.95 on weekdays and $36.95 on weekends for adults, with discounted prices for children.

Liuyishou Hotpot

Liuyishou Hotpot is a popular chain of hot pot restaurants with locations in Toronto and New York City. They offer all-you-can-eat options and a signature soup base made with premium beef oil. The New York location, in Flushing, offers all-you-can-eat hot pot for $30 per person, with drinks, desserts, and an extensive sauce bar included. However, the broths are an additional cost.

Haidilao

Haidilao is a well-known Chinese chain of hot pot restaurants with locations in Toronto, Los Angeles, and New York City. They are known for their exceptional customer service and unique dining experience. They offer a variety of broths, including Sichuan mala soup and pork bone flavor. Haidilao provides entertainment, such as noodle dancing, and guests are given aprons and small bags for their masks. The price for the all-you-can-eat option is around $40 per person.

Xiaolongkan Chinese Fondue

Xiaolongkan Chinese Fondue is a popular hot pot restaurant in Toronto, known for its maliciously spicy soup base and a wide variety of items to choose from. The price range is unknown, but it is likely to be in the mid-range for hot pot restaurants.

Shabuya

Shabuya is an all-you-can-eat hot pot restaurant in Los Angeles, with locations in Koreatown and Alhambra. They offer high-quality meat and a variety of options, including Korean barbecue. The price for the all-you-can-eat option is $58 per person for dinner and $34 for lunch.

Frequently asked questions