Cody Casey
Chinese fondue, also known as Fondue Chinoise, is a dish consisting of meat, vegetables, and sauces cooked by dipping them into hot broth or oil. It is a popular party and family meal in Switzerland, especially during the holidays and New Year's celebrations. The beauty of this dish lies in its customizability, as guests can choose their preferred ingredients and dips to suit their tastes. The meat, typically thinly sliced beef, veal, chicken, or lamb, is cooked by dipping it into the hot broth for 1-2 minutes, followed by dipping it into various sauces. The broth is kept simmering throughout the meal, and the remaining broth can be enjoyed as a soup at the end. Chinese fondue offers a fun and interactive dining experience, allowing guests to cook and season their food according to their preferences.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Other names | Fondue Chinoise, Mongolian Firepot, Hot Pot, Soup-food, Steamboat |
| Origin | China |
| Preparation time | 15 minutes |
| Calories | 420 per serving |
| Serving size | 4-6 people |
| Ingredients | Meat, vegetables, broth, sauces |
| Meat | Beef, chicken, lamb, veal, seafood |
| Vegetables | Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, lettuce |
| Broth | Beef broth, water, bouillon, cognac, herbs |
| Sauces | Soy sauce, ginger dressing, sesame paste, bean curd, hot mustard, chilli oil, peanut sauce, mayonnaise, crème fraîche |
| Sides | Bread, buns, rice, French fries, potato chips, sweet potato fries, garlic bread, corn on the cob |
What You'll Learn
Chinese fondue is a Swiss Christmas and New Year meal
Chinese fondue, also known as Fondue Chinoise, is a Swiss Christmas and New Year's meal. It is a fun and social meal, perfect for parties and family gatherings. The dish consists of thinly sliced meats, vegetables, and sauces cooked by dipping into hot broth or oil. While the oil-based version was once preferred, today, the broth variety is more popular due to its healthier nature and lack of lingering odours.
The beauty of Chinese fondue is that it can be adapted to individual tastes. The broth is typically kept bland, with guests adding their desired flavours through spicy dips and sauces. The meat is usually beef, but chicken, lamb, and seafood are also popular choices. For vegetarians, a vegetable broth can be used as a base, and fresh pasta specialties such as tortellini or ravioli can be added.
A variety of sauces are essential to the Fondue Chinoise experience. Classic options include garlic, mayonnaise-based sauces, crème fraîche, and curry sauce. The meat and vegetables are cooked in the hot broth and then dipped into these sauces, adding flavour and moisture to the dish. The broth is then consumed as a soup at the end of the meal, with added ingredients such as noodles, enhancing the flavour.
The Fondue Chinoise is a social and interactive meal, with guests cooking their food to their liking and customising their flavours. It is a meal that encourages conversation and a relaxed atmosphere. The preparation is simple, and the hosts can enjoy the event as much as the guests, making it a perfect choice for busy holiday celebrations.
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It's also known as a Mongolian Firepot
Chinese fondue, also known as a Mongolian Firepot, is a fun and interactive way to enjoy a meal with friends or family. It involves a hot pot or fondue pot filled with simmering broth, placed at the centre of the table. Each guest is provided with a dipping fork and a small plate or bowl. An array of thinly sliced raw meats and vegetables are then cooked by each individual in the hot broth, to their desired level of doneness. The cooked food is then dipped into various sauces to add flavour.
The beauty of this style of dining is that it is highly customisable and allows guests to season their food according to their taste. The broth is typically kept bland, with spices and flavours being added via the sauces. This also means there are no strict rules to follow, and the basic recipe can be adapted as desired.
A variety of sauces can be offered, such as soy sauce, ginger dressing, sesame paste, hot mustard, chilli oil, peanut sauce, or curry sauce. The meat and vegetables can also be served with a seasoned sauce, such as the traditional sauce for "Shabu-Shabu" (the Japanese name for Chinese fondue).
After the meat and vegetables have been enjoyed, the rich broth, now infused with flavour from the ingredients, is distributed to the guests to be enjoyed as a soup. This is said to aid digestion, and is a unique and satisfying way to end the meal.
The Mongolian Firepot is a great way to bring people together over a delicious and interactive meal, with plenty of room for customisation and creativity.
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The meal has two steps: fondue, then soup
Chinese fondue, also known as Fondue Chinoise or a Mongolian Firepot, is a meal that consists of two parts: the fondue, and then the soup.
The first step is to prepare a bland broth, which will concentrate and get richer over time. This is placed in a fondue pot and kept simmering throughout the meal. Guests then dip thin slices of meat and vegetables into the broth, cooking them to their liking, before dipping them into a variety of sauces. The sauces can be spicy, with the combination of a bland broth and spicy dips allowing guests to season food to their own taste.
After the food is cooked, the now rich broth is distributed to those with room left to enjoy it. An egg may be added to the broth, and it can be enriched with noodles, sherry, or cognac.
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The broth is bland, with spicy dips
Chinese fondue, also known as Fondue Chinoise, is a fun and social meal that involves cooking meats and vegetables in a hot broth. The broth is kept simmering throughout the meal, and guests cook their food to their liking by dipping it into the hot broth using a colour-coded fork.
The broth is intentionally kept bland, with the spicy dips providing the flavour. This allows guests to season their food to their own tastes. The dips can be as simple or complex as you like, with the only rule being that they are seasoned well. The traditional sauce for Chinese fondue is called "Shabu-Shabu", a Japanese term. However, there are many other dips to choose from, such as soy sauce, ginger dressing, sesame paste, preserved bean curd, hot mustard, chilli oil, peanut sauce, or your favourite hot sauce.
Some recipes suggest adding a shot of cognac to the broth before serving, and you can also add finely chopped vegetables such as carrots, leeks, celery, and onions to enhance the flavour. Spices like pepper, bay leaf, chilli, and cayenne pepper can also be added.
The beauty of Chinese fondue is that there are no hard and fast rules, and you can adapt the basic broth recipe as desired. It is a very flexible dish that can be tailored to individual tastes.
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It's a popular party meal in Switzerland
Chinese fondue, also known as Fondue Chinoise, is a popular party meal in Switzerland. It is a fun and social way to eat, and its flexibility makes it perfect for a party. Hosts can prepare the meal in advance, so they are free to enjoy the party, and guests can choose what and how much they want to eat.
The dish consists of meats, vegetables, and sauces cooked by dipping them into hot broth or oil. The broth is kept constantly hot in a fondue pot on the table, and guests cook their food by holding it with a fork and immersing it in the broth for 1-2 minutes. The meat is usually sliced very thinly, and popular choices include beef, chicken, lamb, and shrimp. A variety of vegetables can be used, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, which are usually blanched or boiled before serving.
The sauces are an essential part of the Fondue Chinoise experience. Guests can dip their cooked food into a variety of sauces, with popular choices including mayonnaise-based sauces, herb butters, freshly grated horseradish, and peanut and coriander dip. The broth can also be used as a soup at the end of the meal, with the addition of noodles or an egg.
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Frequently asked questions
Chinese fondue, also known as Fondue Chinoise, is a dish consisting of meats, vegetables, and sauces cooked by dipping them in hot broth or oil. It is a popular party and family meal in Switzerland and is typically eaten during the holidays, especially between Christmas and New Year.
The ingredients used in Chinese fondue can vary, but typically include meat, vegetables, broth or oil, and various sauces for dipping. Common meats include beef, chicken, and lamb, while vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots are often used. A strong meat bouillon or broth is typically used as the base, which can be refined with spices and herbs such as pepper, bay leaf, and chili.
Chinese fondue is typically served in a fondue pot placed in the center of the table. Each guest is provided with a dipping fork and a small plate or bowl for the cooked food. The meat and vegetables are cooked by dipping them into the hot broth or oil and are then dipped into the sauces before eating. After the food is cooked, the remaining broth can be distributed as a soup or used as a soup base.
