Hot Pot Perfection: Choosing The Ultimate Hot Pot For Indulgent Dining

A good quality hot pot pot is essential for the ultimate communal dining experience. The best hot pot pots are wide and shallow, allowing for a good amount of food to be cooked while ensuring the food doesn't get lost at the bottom. They also have a removable pot for easy cleaning and a built-in electrical heating element to keep the pot hot.

The material of the pot is also important, with stainless steel being a popular choice due to its ability to heat up quickly. Other features to look out for include a yin-yang feature, which allows for two different soup flavours to be cooked at the same time, and a clear lid so you can easily see when the broth is boiling.

When choosing a hot pot pot, it's important to consider the size of your group. Pots range from 3 to 6 quarts, with larger models being better for bigger crowds. Additionally, some pots come with accessories such as strainers and ladles, which can enhance the hot pot experience.

So, whether you're looking for a traditional stainless steel pot or a modern electric hot pot with all the bells and whistles, there are plenty of options to choose from to create the perfect hot pot experience.

The burner and pot

The Burner and the Pot

The burner and the pot are the two most important pieces of equipment for hot pot. The burner needs to be portable enough to sit at the centre of your table. It is important to avoid using charcoal as this will fill your home with carbon monoxide.

There are several burner options to choose from:

• Induction: Easy to clean, no need to buy extra gas canisters, and more energy-efficient than a butane burner. However, induction burners require magnetic pots with flat bottoms, and they can be noisy due to the built-in fan.
• Gas or butane: Butane burners are cordless and work with any kind of flat-bottomed pot. They are also quieter and tend to be cheaper than induction burners. However, you will need to procure and dispose of butane canisters.

For the pot, you want one that is shallow so that the food isn't drowning in the broth. A wide, relatively shallow pot is ideal. Chinese stainless steel hot pots are commonly used because of their round shape and depth, but any similar pot will work. If you are cooking for a large group, you may need a bigger pot, or even two pots and two burners.

For those who want to have two types of broth, a split pot with a divider is a good option. These are commonly available at Asian grocers or online.

If you want to invest in a beautiful pot, consider a donabe earthenware pot from Iga prefecture in Japan. Donabe pots are beautiful, carry centuries of tradition, and can boost the flavours of what they cook. However, they require special care and are more expensive than other options.

For an induction burner, you will need a pot made of magnetic materials with a completely flat bottom. Cast iron or many stainless steel pots will work, but aluminium, ceramic, and stoneware pots will not.

Broths

When making a spicy broth, key ingredients include beef tallow, dried chilli peppers, Sichuan pepper, star anise, cassia cinnamon, bay leaves, scallions, onion, coriander, garlic, ginger, and fermented black beans. These ingredients are fried and simmered in oil to create a concentrated soup base, which is then diluted with water or stock. For a vegan alternative, replace the beef tallow with a neutral-flavoured cooking oil.

As for mild broths, a simple version can be made with water, scallions, and ginger. A more flavourful option would use stock made from chicken, pork, beef, mushroom, or tomatoes as the base. Additional ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms, scallions, Chinese dates, and Goji berries can be added for extra flavour.

There are also several store-bought broth bases available, offering a variety of flavours such as mushroom, tomato, seafood, and spicy options. These bases are typically in powder or sauce form and are diluted with water or stock.

When preparing a hot pot meal, it is common to serve both a spicy and a mild broth side by side in a divided pot, allowing diners to choose their preferred broth or switch between the two.

Dipping ingredients

The dipping ingredients are the food items that are cooked in the hot pot and then dipped in the sauce of your choice. Here are some options for your dipping ingredients:

Meat

• Beef (brisket, short rib, ribeye, sirloin, flank steak, thinly sliced)
• Pork shoulder or loin (thinly sliced)
• Pork belly (thinly sliced)
• Lamb shoulder or leg (thinly sliced)
• Chicken (boneless breast or thighs, thinly sliced)

Seafood

• Shrimp
• Fish fillets (such as tilapia, bass, fluke/flounder, thinly sliced)
• Squid or cuttlefish
• Scallops
• Fish balls
• Shrimp balls
• Squid balls
• Mixed seafood balls

Vegetables

• Leafy greens (baby bok choy, napa cabbage, spinach, pea tips, watercress, chrysanthemum leaves)
• Root vegetables (potato, sweet potato, carrot, daikon, lotus root, taro)
• Corn
• Mushrooms (enoki, shiitake, king oyster, oyster, shimeji)

Tofu & Soy Products

• Bean threads (dried bean curd sticks)
• Soy puffs
• Frozen tofu
• Firm tofu
• Dried bean curd rolls
• Fresh tofu sheets/skin

Starches

• Rice
• Noodles (rice noodles, udon, mung bean vermicelli, shirataki, spinach noodles)
• Dumplings (frozen dumplings, potstickers, gyoza)

Sauces

Hot pot is a highly customizable meal, and a great communal dining experience. It involves cooking various raw ingredients in a pot of bubbling soup in the centre of the table. The cooked ingredients are then flavoured with individual dipping sauces.

Spicy Garlic Hot Sauce

This sauce includes the following ingredients:

• Minced garlic
• Red chilli (chopped)
• Green onion
• Korean red chilli flakes
• Grounded Sichuan pepper
• Sesame seeds
• Black vinegar
• Oyster sauce

Creamy Garlic Sesame Sauce

This sauce includes the following ingredients:

• Sesame paste
• Dashi powder
• Black vinegar
• Minced garlic

Taiwanese Shacha Sauce

This sauce includes the following ingredients:

• Minced garlic
• Red chilli (optional)
• Green onion (chopped)
• Taiwanese Shacha sauce
• Black vinegar

Light Sesame Soy

This simple recipe is perfect for those who want an Asian-inspired dish. It combines sesame oil, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, minced garlic, and chopped spring onion. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top for a crunchy texture.

Chilli Oil Vinegar Dip

Chilli oil is the main ingredient in this recipe, adding a wonderful flavour and kick to the dip. It can be found in most Asian supermarkets or made at home by heating oil and adding chilli flakes. This dip is perfect for vegetables, meat, and more.

Creamy Dashi Garlic

This creamy sauce includes peanut butter, minced garlic, and chopped coriander.

Honey Miso Dip

This dip is a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and savoury. It includes chopped spring onion and coriander.

Spicy Peanut Dip

This dip is easy and flavorful, with peanut butter as the main ingredient, adding creaminess and a nutty flavour. It also includes dou ban jiang, a popular bean paste used in Sichuan cuisine, which adds a nice heat.

Classic Spicy and Sweet Chilli Sauce

This classic sauce is perfect for dipping meat and vegetable dishes. Simply combine equal parts chilli paste and sweet chilli sauce, then add some garlic and onion powder. For extra heat, add chilli flakes or dried chilli.

Hot and Sour Garlic Sauce

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

Table setting

When it comes to setting the table for a hot pot meal, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Here are some tips to create a functional and enjoyable dining experience:

• Centrepiece: Place the burner and the pot in the middle of the table. This is the focal point of the meal, so ensure it is easily accessible to all diners.
• Ingredients: Arrange the ingredients around the table. It is best to keep similar items together, such as meats, seafood, vegetables, and noodles. This makes it easier for guests to find what they are looking for and prevents cross-contamination.
• Sauce station: Set up a separate area for sauces, preferably away from the table to free up space. Provide a variety of sauces and allow guests to mix and match to create their own custom sauces.
• Table settings: Place a bowl, plate, chopsticks, and napkin at each setting. It is also helpful to provide a couple of plates with tongs and hot pot strainers for retrieving food from the pot.
• Drinks: Don't forget the beverages! Beer is a popular choice, but if you want a more authentic feel, try wine, which is commonly consumed in China. Non-alcoholic options could include iced green or jasmine tea, or suan mei tang (cold sour plum tea).

Remember, hot pot is all about customisation and interactivity, so encourage your guests to experiment with different ingredients and sauces to find their perfect combination.

Frequently asked questions