Hot Pot Rolls: The Ultimate Comfort Food

Hot pot rolls are a delicious Japanese dish that is perfect for those who love sukiyaki and shabu-shabu. It is made with thinly sliced meat, seafood, or vegetables that are rolled up and cooked in a pot of boiling broth. The rolls are then dipped in a special sauce and enjoyed as a tasty and hearty meal. This dish is perfect for sharing with friends and family, as it offers an interactive and fun dining experience where everyone can customise their rolls with their favourite ingredients.

Hot pot ingredients

Hot pot is a highly customizable meal, with a variety of ingredients that can be used to suit individual preferences. Here are some of the most common ingredients used in hot pot:

Broths

The broth forms the base of the hot pot and can be made with a variety of ingredients. Some common options include:

• Chicken broth
• Beef or pork bone broth
• Mala beef broth
• Herbal mushroom broth
• Mushroom broth
• Tomato broth
• Coconut-infused seafood broth

Meats

Meats are a popular choice for hot pot, with thinly sliced options being preferred as they cook faster. Some options include:

• Beef short ribs
• Fatty beef (brisket or chuck)
• Leg of lamb
• Pork belly
• Chicken

Seafood

Seafood is another popular choice, adding a briny flavour to the hot pot. Some options include:

• Shrimp
• Manila clams
• Fish fillets
• Fish balls
• Squid
• Scallops

Vegetables

A variety of vegetables can be used in hot pot, with leafy greens and harder root vegetables being the most common. Some options include:

• Napa cabbage
• Bok choy
• Chrysanthemum greens
• Yu choy
• Mountain yam
• Taro
• Lotus root
• Potato
• Kabocha squash

Fungi

Fungi, especially mushrooms, are a must-have in a hot pot. They add a variety of textures and flavours to the dish. Some options include:

• Enoki mushrooms
• Beech mushrooms
• Shiitake mushrooms
• King oyster mushrooms
• Oyster mushrooms
• Shimeji mushrooms

Starches

Starches are often added to hot pot to bulk up the meal. Some options include:

• Vermicelli noodles
• Rice noodles
• Glass noodles
• Instant ramen
• Rice
• Dumplings

Accessories

These are optional ingredients that can enhance the flavour and texture of the hot pot. Some options include:

• Fried bean curd rolls
• Fish tofu
• Beef balls
• Frozen tofu
• Egg dumplings

Hot pot equipment

Hot pot is a communal dining experience with a long history in East and Southeast Asian cooking. It involves diners cooking an array of raw ingredients in a pot of seasoned broth.

Heat Source

A portable heat source is required to keep the broth hot and simmering. You could use a specialised electric hot pot burner, an electric burner (coil or induction), or a tabletop gas burner. If you plan on making hot pot a regular meal, it is recommended to invest in a hot pot set with a built-in electrical heating element.

Pot

A wide, relatively shallow pot is best for hot pot. Chinese stainless steel hot pots are ideal due to their round shape and depth, but any similar pot will work. Some designs feature a “yin-yang” feature, allowing you to have two different broths at once.

Chopsticks

Bamboo or wooden chopsticks are best for hot pot as they are heat-resistant and cool down quickly. Plastic and metal chopsticks are not ideal as plastic may melt and metal will conduct heat.

Additional Equipment

• Small bowls (e.g. Chinese rice bowls) for each person to assemble their own dipping sauce.
• Metal hot pot baskets/wire ladles to cook and retrieve food from the broth.
• Sauce ingredients such as sesame paste, peanut butter, soy sauce, Sha Cha (Chinese BBQ sauce), Sichuan peppercorn oil, chilli garlic sauce, Chinese black vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, and fried shallots or garlic.

Optional Extras

• A strainer or spider skimmer to remove food and scoop broth.
• A divider to separate two different broths in the same pot.
• A lid to secure heat and prevent spills.

Hot pot history

Hot pot, or huǒ guō in Chinese, is a dish that originated in China over a thousand years ago. The original hot pot was introduced to East Asia by the Mongolian Empire thousands of years ago and consisted of a simple broth served with horse meat and mutton. Mongolian soldiers would cook this dish in their helmets over a fire. As the empire spread, so did the hot pot, and it evolved as it reached new regions, including Northern China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

The earliest prototypes of the hot pot may have been the tripods of the Zhou dynasty, where diners among the nobility had personal bronze pots called ran lu, which consisted of a small stove with a pot above it for cooking. The hot pot was also popular among Chinese emperors, including the Qianlong Emperor, who ate it for almost every meal, and the Jiaqing Emperor, who had a banquet with 1,550 hot pots at his coronation.

Today, hot pot is a popular dish in China and across East and Southeast Asia, including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. It is also enjoyed in Chinese communities around the world, particularly in the United States, where it has become globally recognized since the 1990s due to the growing number of Chinese immigrants.

Hot pot is considered a communal dining experience, where diners gather around a pot of seasoned broth heated on a burner and cook various raw ingredients to their liking. These ingredients can include thinly sliced meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and starches, which are then dipped in sauces for additional flavor. The broth can also take on different flavors, from spicy Sichuan peppercorn-infused broths to savory mushroom or coconut-based broths.

Hot pot is a highly customizable and interactive meal that allows diners to choose their own ingredients and create their own unique combinations, making it a fun and engaging dining experience.

Hot pot preparation

Decide on the Broth:

Go for a homemade broth or a store-bought one. If making your own, a simple option is to use chicken soup with added goji berries, ginger, and scallions. You can also experiment with different flavours like mushroom, tomato, or spicy Sichuan.

Shop for Ingredients:

Visit an Asian grocery store to find a wide variety of hot pot ingredients. You can also order some items online if needed. Here are some categories of food to include:

• Meat: Thinly sliced beef, pork, lamb, and chicken are popular choices. Freeze the meat slightly before slicing to make it easier.
• Seafood: Shrimp, squid, scallops, and fish are common choices. Frozen seafood medleys are a convenient option.
• Vegetables: Asian vegetables like gai lan, napa cabbage, and mushrooms are great. Wash and cut the vegetables into small pieces.
• Tofu: Include different types of tofu, such as medium-firm tofu, egg tofu, and tofu puffs. Drain and cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces.
• Dumplings and Meatballs: Frozen dumplings and meatballs are easy options. Just cook them according to the package instructions.
• Noodles: Udon, mung bean noodles, and shirataki noodles are excellent choices for soaking up the broth's flavour.

Prep the Ingredients:

Wash and cut the vegetables, lay out the meats, seafood, dumplings, meatballs, vegetables, and noodles on separate plates or trays. Keep similar items together to avoid cross-contamination. If using whole cuts of meat, freeze them slightly before slicing to make it easier.

Set the Table:

Place the burner and pot in the centre of the table. Arrange the ingredients around the table. Set up a sauce station with small bowls for each person to mix their own dipping sauce. Provide each diner with a bowl, plate, chopsticks, and a napkin. Don't forget the drinks!

Start Cooking:

Bring the broth to a boil in the pot. Start adding the ingredients that take longer to cook, such as hardy vegetables and meatballs. Add the raw meat and let the broth boil for at least 30 seconds to 1 minute before removing any other items. Then, it's a free-for-all! Add whatever ingredients you like and cook them to your desired level of doneness. Use a hot pot strainer or tongs to remove the food from the pot, rather than chopsticks.

Dip and Enjoy:

Create your own dipping sauce by mixing and matching the different sauces and condiments provided. Dip the cooked ingredients in your sauce and enjoy! Remember to keep adding more ingredients to the pot as you eat, so everything stays fresh and flavourful.

Hot pot etiquette

Hot pot is a communal dining experience, so it's important to be mindful of your fellow diners. Here are some tips for hot pot etiquette:

Respect the Commons

Hot pot is a communal, social meal, so be sure to share. Dole out meatballs, don't hog the shrimp paste, and don't double-dip. It's often considered polite to serve others before yourself, so keep an eye out for what others might like to eat.

Don't Mix Utensils

Use separate utensils for dining and handling raw ingredients. Don't use the same chopsticks or tongs for eating and putting raw food into the pot. This will help prevent cross-contamination, especially when dealing with raw meat and fish.

No Plastic

Don't use plastic utensils or chopsticks, as they may melt in the hot broth. Metal conducts heat, so be careful with metal chopsticks, and bamboo or wooden chopsticks are best.

Take Your Time

Hot pot is meant to be savoured slowly. Don't dump all the ingredients into the pot at once—cook each piece of meat, seafood, or vegetable as you eat it. An exception can be made for ingredients that require a longer cooking time, such as radishes or winter melon.

Cook Ingredients Appropriately

Cook thin slices of meat or seafood for only 8-10 seconds to avoid overcooking. Soup-absorbing ingredients like vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu are better cooked in a non-spicy broth, so they don't become mouthfuls of spicy soup.

Ask Before Refilling the Broth

The broth takes on the flavours of the ingredients cooked in it, so don't refill the broth without asking your fellow diners. They may want to enjoy the flavours that have developed or even ladle some of the broth to drink before diluting it.

Bring Something to Share

If you're invited to a hot pot meal at someone's home, don't show up empty-handed. Bring an inexpensive appetizer or something unique to your hometown or background to share with the group.

Fight for the Bill

In many hot pot cultures, it's customary to fight to pay the bill. Even if you don't pay, offer to cover the next meal.

Be Mindful of Allergies

Always ask your fellow diners about any allergies they may have and don't put those ingredients in the pot.

Don't Hog the Food

Take only what you intend to eat, especially at a buffet-style hot pot restaurant. Don't order items for others unless they've asked you to, and be mindful of leftovers.

Enjoy the Experience!

Hot pot is meant to be a fun, interactive dining experience, so relax and enjoy the food and company!

Frequently asked questions