Hot Pot Harmony: Exploring The Perfect Pairings For Chinese Hot Pot

Chinese hot pot is a warm and social meal shared among family and close friends. It involves a pot of boiling broth placed in the centre of the table, with a variety of raw ingredients—such as meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and starches—cut into thin slices or small pieces for quick cooking. Each person cooks their chosen ingredients in the broth and eats them with a dipping sauce.

The beauty of hot pot is its customisability. You can have an all-veggie hot pot, go heavy on the seafood, or stick to the traditional meat, seafood, and vegetable combination.

The most important thing to consider when planning a hot pot party is the type of broth you will use, as all the food will be cooked in it. You can make your own broth, but it is much easier to buy a hot pot broth base from an Asian store or online. There are many different types of broth, from spicy Sichuan and Chongqing to plain and mild.

When it comes to ingredients, the sky's the limit. Here are some ideas:

- Meat: thinly sliced beef, lamb, pork, chicken, or fish

- Seafood: shrimp, squid, scallops, mussels, clams, oysters, crab, or lobster

- Vegetables: Chinese leafy greens, mushrooms, root vegetables, corn, baby corn, or peppers

- Tofu and soy bean products: firm tofu, deep-fried tofu puffs, frozen tofu, medium tofu, gluten balls, or fish cakes

- Noodles and dumplings: udon, rice noodles, shirataki noodles, dumplings, or wonton

Hot Pot Broth: The foundation of your hot pot, this can be as simple as chicken broth with ginger and scallions, or you can go for a spicy Sichuan-style broth

Hot Pot Broth

The foundation of your hot pot, this can be as simple as chicken broth with ginger and scallions, or you can go for a spicy Sichuan-style broth.

Chicken Broth

For a simple, mild hot pot broth, you can use chicken stock as your base. This can be made from scratch by boiling a whole chicken or chicken pieces with some sliced ginger. You can also add other aromatics like scallions, white peppercorns, and pork bones for extra flavour. This will take around 1.5-2 hours to infuse.

Spicy Sichuan-Style Broth

For a more authentic Chinese hot pot experience, a spicy Sichuan-style broth is the way to go. This is made with a concentrated, flavourful soup base and water or stock. The key ingredients are beef tallow (or cooking oil), dried chilli peppers, Sichuan pepper, and aromatics like scallions, onion, garlic, and ginger. Other spices like star anise, cassia cinnamon, and bay leaves are also added for extra aroma.

Other Broth Options

While chicken and Sichuan-style broths are the most common, there are many other options to consider. Here are some alternatives:

• Tomato soup base
• Seafood broth
• Satay broth
• Soy milk broth
• Lamb broth (common in northern China)
• Mongolian broth (includes ingredients like goji berries, jujubes, and herbs)
• Cantonese broth (heavy on fresh seafood)

Buying vs. Making Broth

While making your own broth from scratch can be rewarding, it can be time-consuming and require many specialised ingredients. Therefore, it is often more convenient to purchase a hot pot broth base from a store or online. You can find these in Asian grocery stores or on Amazon.

Tips for a Successful Hot Pot

• Use a split pot to serve two types of broth—a spicy one and a milder option.
• Always wait for the broth to come to a boil before adding any ingredients.
• Only add a small amount of food at a time to avoid overcrowding the pot and dropping the temperature.
• Keep an eye on your food and remove it as soon as it is cooked to your liking.
• Sanitize your chopsticks by dipping them in the boiling broth before using them to eat.

Meat: Thinly sliced beef, pork, and chicken are popular choices, but you can also add meatballs, canned meat, or fish

Chinese hot pot is a highly customizable meal, and the sky's the limit when it comes to choosing your ingredients. Meat is a popular choice, and thinly sliced beef, pork, and chicken are common options. If you're buying pre-prepared meats, look for those that are sliced very thinly, as they will cook faster.

If you're preparing your meats from scratch, slice them as thinly as you can—around 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. For beef, consider fatty cuts like brisket and short rib, or go for ribeye. Lamb shoulder or leg is another good option, as is pork loin or belly. For chicken, opt for boneless breast or thighs. If you like offal, try tripe, tongue, kidney, or liver. These organ meats will take a little longer to cook, so slice them thinly (around 1/8 to 1/4 inch) and score with a crosshatch pattern to help the heat penetrate.

If you want to add a little variety to your meat selection, you could include meatballs, canned meat, or fish. Fish is a great choice for hot pot, and you can use any firm white fish, such as salmon or bass. Slice the fish about 1/4 inch thick, and place in a small strainer when cooking to prevent it from getting lost in the pot. You can also buy pre-made fish balls, which are usually made from fish, shrimp, lobster, or cuttlefish, and stuffed with meat or cheese. These are already cooked, so they just need to be heated through in the hot pot.

If you want to add some extra protein, you could also include canned meat, such as Spam, or meatballs, which can be bought pre-made or made from scratch.

Seafood: Shrimp, fish, crab, clams, mussels, and oysters are all great additions to a hot pot

Seafood is a fantastic option for a Chinese hot pot. Shrimp, fish, crab, clams, mussels, and oysters are all great additions to a hot pot. Here are some tips and suggestions for preparing and serving these delicious seafood options:

Shrimp:

Shrimp is one of the most popular seafood choices for a hot pot. You can use headless and shelled shrimp, but it is also common to cook shrimp with the shell and head still on. If you are using shell-on shrimp, make sure to peel and devein them before serving. Shrimp cooks quickly in the hot pot, usually taking less than 30 seconds to turn opaque. You can also find shrimp cakes or shrimp balls in the frozen section of Asian markets, which are great for hot pot as well.

Fish:

White fish, such as halibut, salmon, monkfish, bass, or tilapia, work well in a hot pot. Cut the fish into thin slices, about 1/4-inch thick, for quick cooking. You can also marinate the fish slices in a mixture of Shaoxing wine, salt, and cornstarch for a better texture. Place the fish slices in a small strainer before adding them to the hot pot to prevent them from getting lost in the pot.

Crab:

Blue crabs or Korean kkotge are a great option for hot pot. Clean the crabs thoroughly before cooking. Separate the top shell from the crab and remove the gills. Break or cut the body into halves or quarters. You can also find crab balls or cakes in Asian markets, which are already cooked and just need to be heated through in the hot pot.

Clams and Mussels:

Clams and mussels add a briny flavor to your hot pot. Make sure to scrub and clean them thoroughly before cooking to remove any grit and sand. Soak the clams in salted water for 30 minutes or longer to get them to spit out any sand. For hot pot, use small clams, such as littlenecks, as they will cook more quickly. Place the clams and mussels in the hot pot and cook until the shells open; discard any that remain closed.

Oysters:

Oysters should be shucked before adding them to the hot pot. They will only take a minute or two to cook in the simmering broth.

When preparing seafood for a Chinese hot pot, it is important to remember that seafood cooks quickly and can easily overcook. Keep an eye on your seafood items and remove them from the hot pot as soon as they are cooked to your desired doneness. Additionally, make sure your broth is boiling before adding any raw seafood to avoid undercooking or food safety issues.

Vegetables: Chinese leafy greens, mushrooms, root vegetables, and legumes are commonly used

Chinese hot pot is a warm, comforting, and social meal to have with close-knit family or friends. It's a fun and filling way to spend the night eating and chatting because you're literally hanging around a hot pot at the table where you cook and eat together.

Chinese Leafy Greens

Chinese leafy greens are commonly used in hot pots. Look for greens that retain their texture after cooking, such as bok choy, watercress, snow pea leaves, Napa cabbage, Chinese spinach, and green onions. Chrysanthemum leaves (tongho) and Taiwanese spinach are also great options. Simply wash the greens thoroughly and cut them into manageable pieces. Baby leafy greens can be left whole, while larger leaves should be cut into smaller pieces.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a must-have for hot pot. They add an umami flavour boost to the dish. Enoki mushrooms are the quintessential choice, but other tasty options include king oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and shimeji mushrooms. If using enoki mushrooms, slice off 1/2-1 inch of the base and separate the bundle into smaller, more manageable bundles. For king oyster mushrooms, trim the ends and thinly slice. Shiitake mushrooms should have their woody stems removed, and oyster mushrooms should be cleaned thoroughly. Shimeji mushrooms can be separated into individual pieces.

Root Vegetables

Root vegetables commonly used in hot pots include daikon, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin or kabocha squash, and winter melon. Cut these vegetables into cubes or thin slices. For larger pieces, let them simmer in the broth to add flavour, and thinly slice for a slight crunch.

Legumes

Legumes such as tofu and beans are also commonly used in Chinese hot pots. Tofu soaks up the flavours of the broth and can be added to the pot and left to simmer while you cook other ingredients. Look for medium-firm or firm tofu, as the soft or silken variety won't hold up well in the hot pot. Fried tofu is pre-cooked and just needs to be warmed through. Other legume options include soybean "noodles", dried tofu "skin", and soy puffs.

Noodles

Noodles are a staple of Chinese hot pot. They are the carb of choice to go with the soup and soak up all the flavours.

There are many different types of noodles that work well with hot pot. Here are some suggestions:

• Udon noodles: thick, chewy, and delicious
• Mung bean noodles: excellent at soaking up flavour
• Shirataki noodles: a good low-carb option
• Rice noodles: similar to those used in pho (thicker, slicker, and long)
• Vermicelli noodles: thinner and more delicate rice noodles
• Fresh egg noodles: long strands of Asian-style fettuccine
• Ramen noodles: spiralled and toothy
• Pho noodles
• Soba noodles
• Udon noodles
• Knife-cut noodles
• Dan dan noodles

When preparing noodles for hot pot, it is best to cook them according to the package instructions and have them available in a bowl, just like the rest of the ingredients. This is because noodles are typically added at the end when the broth has had a chance to infuse with the flavours of everything else that has been in the pot.

If you are making hot pot sauce noodles, a dish that allows you to enjoy your favourite hot pot sauce combinations without all the work involved in building a full hot pot dinner, you can mix the noodles directly into your sauce.

Frequently asked questions