Hot Pot Buffet: A Hearty, Social Dining Experience

Hot pot is a social meal, traditionally from China, where a pot of broth is placed on a heat source on the dining table and kept simmering. Diners then add their choice of thinly sliced meats, seafood, and vegetables to the broth to cook. The cooked food is then dipped into sauces for added flavour. The broth can be mild or spicy, and the meal is usually served without rice or noodles.

Broths: the foundation of your hot pot

Broths are the foundation of your hot pot. They are what you'll cook your ingredients in and what you'll flavour your cooked ingredients with.

The broth is brought to a boil and left to simmer throughout the meal. The raw ingredients are placed in the broth to cook, and once cooked, they are dipped into sauces for additional flavour.

There are many different types of broths you can use for your hot pot. The most well-known is a cloudy chicken broth made with ginger, goji berries, and other aromatics. If you want something spicier, you could try the Chongqing variant, which is packed with Sichuan peppercorns, red chillies, and preserved mustard greens. For something milder, you could opt for a mushroom broth or a vegetable broth. If you're feeling adventurous, you could even try a coconut-infused seafood broth.

If you're making your own broth, you can use a variety of meats and proteins as your base, including lamb, goat, beef, chicken, fish, shrimp, clams, and more. You can also add in spices and aromatics like Sichuan pepper, chilli peppers, ginger, scallions, cinnamon, and anise.

Most hot pot restaurants will offer several different broths to choose from, and some will even offer a "yin yang" option with two different broths in the same pot, separated by a metal divider.

Remember, the broth isn't just for cooking your ingredients; it's also for flavouring them. So choose a broth that you think will complement the ingredients you plan to cook in it.

Dipping ingredients: raw ingredients cooked in the broth

Hot pot is a social meal with a long history, often eaten communally with family and friends. It is highly customisable, with a wide variety of raw ingredients that can be cooked in the broth.

The raw ingredients are sliced thinly so they cook quickly and consistently in the broth. Here are some examples of raw ingredients that can be cooked in the broth:

Meat and Seafood

• Thinly sliced lamb, goat, beef, pork, chicken, or other poultry
• Whole or sliced fish
• Clams and other bivalves
• Shrimp balls and shrimp paste
• Offal, especially beef tripe
• Squids and other inkfish
• Tofu, tofu skin, Fu zhu, Japanese style fish tofu, frozen tofu or fried tofu
• Egg dumplings

Vegetables

• Leaf vegetables, such as baby bok choy, napa cabbage, choy sum, spinach, pea tips, watercress, AA Choy/Cai, and chrysanthemum leaves
• Pumpkin/Kabocha squash
• Tomatoes (cut into wedges)
• Corn (cut whole ears of corn into 1-inch pieces)
• Lotus root (cut into 1/4 inch thick half moons)
• Potato (cut into 1/4 inch thick half moons)
• Sweet potato (cut into 1/4 inch thick half moons)
• Daikon radish (cut into 1-inch chunks)
• Winter melon (cut into 1-inch chunks)
• Mushrooms, such as enoki, wood ears, king mushrooms, shiitake, oyster, shimeji, and straw mushrooms

Carbohydrates

• Rice
• Mung bean vermicelli
• Rice noodles
• Thin fresh white noodles
• Fresh spinach noodles
• Shirataki noodles
• Rice cakes
• Frozen dumplings

Soy Products

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

Sauces: for added flavour

Sauces are an integral part of the hot pot experience, adding flavour to the cooked ingredients and tempering the spiciness of the broth. Here are some of the most popular sauces and dips to consider for your hot pot buffet:

Sesame-Based Sauces

Sesame paste is one of the most common sauces used in hot pot. It has a thick consistency and an intensely nutty flavour. It can be thinned out with hot water to make it more pourable and milder in taste. Alternatively, you can use sesame sauce, which usually has additional ingredients added to it, or sesame paste blended with peanuts.

Shacha Sauce

Shacha sauce, also known as Chinese BBQ sauce, is made with spices, fish paste, chilli, garlic, shallots, dried shrimp and brill fish. It is a ready-to-use sauce with a strong flavour and is often paired with seafood.

Soy Sauce

Light soy sauce is a common seasoning sauce in Chinese cuisine and can be used as a dipping sauce on its own or as a base for other sauces. It helps to thin out thicker sauces and adds saltiness.

Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce is another Chinese pantry staple that adds umami and a well-rounded, sweet flavour with a light hit of MSG. It is a good substitute for Shacha sauce if you want to tone down the fishiness of the dip.

Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin sauce is made from fermented soybeans and has a sweet flavour. It can be used to add sweetness to your dipping sauce or as a vegan source of umami.

Chilli-Based Sauces

Chilli oil, chilli garlic sauce and Sriracha can be added to your hot pot sauce for a spicy kick. Chilli oil is infused with hot chillies and can be found in most Asian supermarkets or made at home. Chilli garlic sauce and Sriracha add a more vinegar-y heat to the dip.

Fermented Bean Curd

Fermented bean curd, also known as fermented bean cheese, is an unsung hero of Chinese cooking. It has a cheesy flavour and can be added to your hot pot sauce to give it an extra dimension.

Other Ingredients

Other ingredients that can be added to your hot pot sauce include vinegar (e.g. Chinese black vinegar, Shanghai rice vinegar, rice wine vinegar), fish sauce, chopped scallions, minced garlic, cilantro, chopped red or green chillies, roasted chopped peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, sugar and even a pinch of MSG.

DIY Hot Pot Dipping Sauce Ideas

• Light Sesame Soy: Combine 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: Mix chilli oil, black vinegar, light soy sauce, minced garlic and chopped spring onion.
• Creamy Dashi Garlic: Blend peanut butter, minced garlic and chopped coriander.
• Honey Miso Dip: Combine chopped spring onion, chopped coriander and honey miso dip sauce for a perfect balance of sweet, salty and savoury.
• Spicy Peanut Dip: Mix peanut butter, spicy bean paste, chopped spring onion and dou ban jiang (a popular bean paste used in Sichuan cuisine).

Condiments: for an extra hit of acid

Condiments are an integral part of the hot pot experience, and there are many tasty options to choose from. Here are some ideas for condiments that will add an extra hit of acid to your hot pot:

• Black Vinegar: Eastlake Shanxi Black Vinegar or Fly By Jing (slightly sweeter) are recommended by Eric Sze, chef-owner of 886 and wenwen in New York City.
• Chinese Black Vinegar: Chinkiang/Zhenjiang or Baoning vinegar are good options. Zhenjiang/Chinkiang is the most common, while Baoning is less acidic.
• Rice Vinegar: Shanghai rice vinegar is a delicate and light option.
• Rice Wine Vinegar: Also known as rice vinegar, this option provides acidity without too many secondary flavors.
• Lemon Juice: This ingredient is not common in northern China, but it can add a bit of sour and sweetness to your sauce.
• Chilli & Garlic Sauce: Mix a ready-made chilli & garlic sauce with sesame oil and soy sauce to taste. The Lee Kum Kee brand has a nice option. You can also add some chopped fresh cilantro and garlic to make it tastier.
• Laoganma Spicy Chili Oil: This household name in China has become popular abroad and even has its own fan page on Facebook. It contains chili, soybean oil, Sichuan peppercorn, and peanut. Stir it up with some soy sauce and sesame oil to make it less strong.
• Japanese Style Shabu Shabu Sesame Sauces: Try the Mizkan brand for a Japanese twist on your hot pot condiments.

Remember, there are no rules when it comes to hot pot condiments. Get creative and experiment with different combinations to find your perfect sauce!

Side dishes: nuts, salads, and spring rolls

A hot pot buffet is a social and interactive dining experience, where a group of people cook an array of ingredients in a simmering broth placed on a heat source on the dining table. The typical hot pot ingredients include thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, and seafood.

Now, let's focus on the side dishes: nuts, salads, and spring rolls.

Nuts

Mixed nuts are a typical side dish served with hot pot. They make a great snack to munch on while enjoying the main course, especially when paired with alcohol.

Salads

Salads are an excellent side dish to accompany the hearty and spicy hot pot. They provide a refreshing contrast to the rich and intense flavors of the main course. Cold noodle salads, cucumber salads, and citrusy slaws are all great options to consider. Salads with a crunchy texture, such as those with crispy wonton strips or pickled vegetables, can also add a nice contrast to the tender ingredients of the spring rolls.

For those who enjoy a bit of spice, a spicy smashed cucumber salad is a perfect choice. If you want to explore cultural fusion, Thai papaya salad (Som Tum) or Japanese edamame can be delightful additions.

Spring Rolls

Spring rolls, with their crisp wrappers and delectable fillings, are a beloved dish globally. They are an excellent choice as a side dish for hot pot, offering a harmonious balance of flavors and textures.

When serving spring rolls, consider the dipping sauces that will accompany them. Sweet chili sauce pairs well with cucumber salad, while peanut sauce goes beautifully with a cold noodle salad.

• Vietnamese Noodle Salad (Bun Cha Gio): This salad features vermicelli rice noodles, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and often grilled shrimp or chicken.
• Thai Papaya Salad (Som Tum): A sweet and spicy salad with shredded green papaya, lime juice, fish sauce, chili peppers, and tomatoes.
• Air Fryer Fresh Spring Rolls: Serving fresh spring rolls alongside the fried ones creates a delightful contrast. These are typically filled with rice vermicelli, herbs, shrimp, or tofu and served with a creamy peanut dipping sauce.
• Thai Cucumber Salad (Som Tum Taeng): A refreshing side dish with thinly sliced cucumbers, red onions, and chili peppers, tossed in a tangy dressing.

In conclusion, when it comes to side dishes for a hot pot buffet, nuts, salads, and spring rolls offer a delightful variety of flavors and textures. These side dishes not only complement the main course but also enhance the overall dining experience.

Frequently asked questions