Marianne Martinez
Hot pot is a social dining experience with roots in Chinese tradition. It involves cooking raw ingredients in a simmering pot of soup at the table. The three basic components are broth, dipping ingredients, and sauces.
Hot pot is highly customisable. You can choose from a variety of broths, including chicken, mushroom, and spicy Sichuan peppercorn. Dipping ingredients typically include thinly sliced meats, seafood, and vegetables. There are also starchy options like noodles and dumplings. The cooked food is then dipped into a sauce of your choice.
Hot pot is designed to be a leisurely, interactive, and communal meal shared with friends and family.
What You'll Learn
The history of hot pot
Hot pot, or huǒguō, is a dish and an experience. It is believed to date back over 1,000 years to the Jin Dynasty, although some experts argue that it became popular in the 14th century when emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties fell in love with it. The original hot pot was introduced to East Asia by the Mongolian Empire, thousands of years ago. It was a simple broth served with horse meat and mutton, cooked and eaten in the helmets of soldiers.
Over time, hot pot spread throughout China, taking on different regional variations. It is believed that the tripods of the Zhou dynasty may be the earliest prototypes of the hot pot. In the Three Kingdoms period (200-280 AD), a copper hot pot was created, which is generally acknowledged as the origin of the hot pot. During the Qing dynasty, hot pot became popular among the emperors. The Qianlong Emperor, in particular, was very fond of hot pot and would eat it almost every meal.
In the 20th century, hot pot restaurants began to open in cities like Chongqing, and today it is a globally recognised dish. It is a social and communal meal, rarely eaten alone, and is enjoyed by friends and family coming together.
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What to expect at a hot pot restaurant
Hot pot is a fun and interactive dining experience, so here's what to expect when you visit a hot pot restaurant:
The Set-Up
Hot pot is a communal dining experience, so expect to find a burner with a pot of broth in the centre of the table. You'll be given chopsticks and a small strainer or tongs to add your chosen ingredients to the pot. The broth will be heated until it reaches a rolling boil, and then it's time to start cooking!
The Broth
Broths are usually mild, with a clear soup base made from chicken, beef, or pork, and seasoned with ginger, garlic, scallions, mushrooms, tomato, and goji berries. Some restaurants will offer a choice of broths, including spicy options made with Sichuan peppercorns, red chillies, and other spices. You may also find coconut-based or fish-based broths.
The Ingredients
The fun part of hot pot is choosing your ingredients. You'll be given a selection of raw meats, seafood, vegetables, and starches to cook in the broth. Meat options include beef, lamb, chicken, and mutton, all sliced thinly so they cook quickly. Seafood options might include shrimp, fish balls, scallops, squid, and octopus. For vegetables, you might see mushrooms, bok choy, cabbage, taro, potatoes, and tofu. Starch options include noodles such as udon and rice noodles, as well as dumplings and wontons.
The Dipping Sauces
Dipping sauces are an essential part of the hot pot experience. You can create your own by mixing and matching ingredients such as soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, garlic, green onions, vinegar, and chili oil.
The Etiquette
Hot pot is a social meal, so it's important to be mindful of your fellow diners. Use the utensils provided to avoid cross-contamination, and don't hog all the best ingredients! It's also typical to share drinks with your fellow diners, such as beer or báijiǔ, a Chinese sorghum liquor.
The Pace
Hot pot is meant to be savoured, so take your time and enjoy the experience. Add your ingredients gradually, cooking them in the broth for just a few minutes at a time. This will also help to keep the broth at the right temperature.
The Cost
Hot pot can be an affordable dining option, especially if you stick to the basic broth and cheaper ingredients like noodles and vegetables. However, if you opt for premium broths and meats, the cost can add up.
So, now you know what to expect, it's time to gather some friends and family and head to your nearest hot pot restaurant for a fun and flavourful dining experience!
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The different types of broth
There are many different types of broth used for hot pot, and they vary depending on the region. The primary difference between hot pot styles is the broth used.
Spicy Broth
One of the most popular broths across China is the spicy broth. It is a must-have in most hot pot dinners. There are a few types of spicy hot pot bases to choose from, including Sichuan, Chongqing, and Mongolian styles. The Sichuan and Mongolian styles might be the most popular, but the Chongqing style features a thicker and richer broth.
The Sichuan spicy hot pot broth, also known as Hong You Guo Di, has a high content of fat (usually beef tallow but can be cooking oil), a strong aroma, and a distinctive taste of Mala (mouth-numbing and hot), the iconic feature of Sichuan food. It is made from a concentrated, highly flavoursome soup base and water (or stock).
The Chongqing spicy hot pot base is made with beef fat and very few spices. The aroma and flavour mostly come from the animal fat and chilli peppers. The finished broth is usually oilier, spicier, and heavier than the Sichuan style.
The Mongolian spicy hot pot base is made with vegetable oil and is quite heavy on cumin. The finished broth is less spicy and lighter than the Sichuan type.
Clear Broth
Clear hot pot broth is the default type in northern China. It is typically made with water, scallions, ginger, peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and jujubes. However, to make the broth more flavourful, a packaged soup base can be used.
Other Broths
There are other types of hot pot bases, such as tomato, seafood, satay, and even soy milk. However, these are less commonly used.
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What to cook in the hot pot
Hot pot is a highly customizable meal, so you can cook a wide variety of ingredients. Here are some ideas for what to cook in your hot pot:
Meat
- Beef (brisket, short rib, ribeye, sirloin, flank steak)
- Pork shoulder or loin
- Pork belly
- Lamb shoulder or leg
- Chicken (boneless breast or thighs)
- Meatballs
- Sausages
Seafood
- Shrimp
- Fish fillets (such as tilapia, bass, flounder)
- Squid or cuttlefish
- Scallops
- Fish balls
- Mixed seafood balls
Vegetables
- Leafy greens (baby bok choy, napa cabbage, spinach, pea tips, watercress)
- Other vegetables (lotus root, potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, tomatoes, corn, winter melon)
- Mushrooms (enoki, shiitake, king oyster, beech, shimeji)
Starches
- Rice
- Noodles (rice noodles, thin fresh white noodles, spinach noodles, shirataki noodles)
- Rice cakes
- Dumplings (frozen dumplings, wonton)
Soy Products
- Bean threads (dried bean curd sticks)
- Soy puffs
- Tofu (frozen tofu, firm tofu)
- Bean curd rolls
- Tofu sheets/skin
Condiments
Hot pot is often served with condiments and dipping sauces. Here are some ideas for condiments to serve with your hot pot:
- Scallions
- Cilantro
- Garlic
- Chive flower sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Sesame oil
- Black vinegar
- Chinese BBQ sauce
- Chili garlic sauce
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Hot pot etiquette
Hot pot is a fun and social dining experience, but there are some rules of etiquette to follow to ensure an enjoyable meal for all. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Sharing is Caring
Hot pot is a communal meal, so it's important to share the food and be considerate of others. Don't hog all the good stuff for yourself! Dole out meatballs to your friends, and don't double-dip.
Use the Right Utensils
Use the provided utensils wisely and hygienically. Most restaurants will provide two sets of chopsticks: light and dark. The dark-coloured chopsticks are for communal use, like retrieving food from the broth, while the light ones are for personal use, such as dunking into your dipping sauce before eating. Avoid mixing the two colours. You can also use tongs and scoopers to help collect your food.
Timing is Everything
Cook your ingredients gradually and at a pace that matches your eating speed. Different foods have different cooking times, so pay attention to avoid overcooking. For example, mushrooms might take 5-8 minutes, while thin slices of meat will be tough if boiled for longer than 10 seconds.
Choose Your Broth Wisely
If dining with a group, choose a broth that everyone will enjoy. Clear broth is the mildest option, while spicy Chengdu broth can be made with a beef tallow base for an extra kick. If you can't decide, opt for a yin yang pot with a divider in the centre to accommodate two different soup types.
Be Mindful of Others
Before ordering, discuss with your table to ensure everyone is happy with the chosen broth and ingredients. If someone doesn't like lamb, for example, don't dunk it into the communal broth.
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Frequently asked questions
Hot pot is an interactive and customisable meal. It is a communal dining experience where a group of people cook an array of raw ingredients in a single pot of seasoned broth heated on the table. Once cooked, the food is dipped in a sauce and eaten.
The three basic components of hot pot are broth, dipping ingredients, and sauces. Broths can be clear, spicy, or a combination of both. Dipping ingredients include thinly sliced meats, seafood, mushrooms, vegetables, and tofu. Sauces can be customised with ingredients like soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and garlic.
Hot pot is rooted in Chinese tradition and likely originated over 1,000 years ago. One origin story suggests that Mongol soldiers cooked meals in their helmets over a fire. Another story claims that Chongqing boatmen invented hot pot as an easy and inexpensive way to prepare meals.
Hot pot is a social dining experience meant to be enjoyed leisurely with friends and family. It is important to use separate utensils for handling raw and cooked food to avoid cross-contamination. It is also recommended to cook ingredients gradually, adding a little at a time to maintain the heat level of the broth.
Yes, hot pot can be made at home. You will need a portable induction cooktop or electric burner, a pot, and various utensils like chopsticks, tongs, and scoopers. You can purchase pre-packaged soup bases or make your own broth from scratch. Raw ingredients such as thinly sliced meats, seafood, vegetables, and noodles can be sourced from local Asian supermarkets or grocery stores.
