Vegetarian Delights: Exploring The World Of Hot Pot

Chinese hot pot is a fun and social meal to share with friends and family. It involves gathering around a large pot of broth and cooking a variety of ingredients in it, from vegetables and tofu to noodles and mushrooms. The cooked food is then dipped into a sauce and enjoyed with rice or noodles.

As a vegetarian, it's important to ensure that the broth and sauces are vegetarian-friendly, and most places will offer a vegetarian option. You can also ask for the pot to be divided so you can enjoy two different broth flavours – one spicy and one non-spicy.

When it comes to ingredients, the possibilities are endless! You can choose from a variety of vegetables, tofu products, noodles, and mushrooms. Some popular vegetarian options include firm tofu, fried tofu, bamboo shoots, cabbage, onions, scallions, bok choy, bean sprouts, and various types of mushrooms.

Hot pot is a delicious and interactive dining experience that allows everyone to customize their meal according to their preferences. So go ahead and gather your favourite vegetarian ingredients and enjoy a fun and flavourful meal with your loved ones!

Tofu and tofu products

For a regular block of tofu, freezing and then thawing it will change the texture, making it more porous and better able to hold its shape. You can also buy frozen tofu, which has a spongey texture and soaks up lots of flavour.

There are also a variety of tofu products that can be added to hot pot, many of which can be purchased from Asian grocery stores. These include:

• Fried tofu
• Yuba sheet
• Yuba knots
• Tofu skin
• Tofu sheets
• Bean curd sticks
• Tofu noodles
• Silken tofu
• Q-tofu or thousand-layer tofu
• Bean curd knots
• Tofu puffs

Vegetables

Crunchy vegetables add texture to your hot pot. Try bamboo shoots, lotus root, cauliflower, radish, broccoli, or carrot.

Starchy root vegetables like squash, potato, sweet potato, and taro root will fill you up.

Leafy greens such as napa cabbage, pea shoots, baby bok choy, Chinese broccoli, yu choy, and Swiss chard are a must-have. You can also add other Chinese vegetables like winter melon, celtuce, and bean sprouts.

Don't forget to prepare a variety of dipping sauces to elevate your hot pot experience!

Noodles

There are many different types of noodles that can be used in hot pots, including:

• Udon noodles: thick, chewy and delicious
• Mung bean noodles: excellent at soaking up flavour
• Shirataki noodles: a good low-carb or keto option
• Rice noodles: similar to those used in pho (thick, slick and long)
• Ramen noodles: spiralled and toothy
• Egg noodles: long strands of Asian-style fettuccine
• Vermicelli noodles: thinner and more delicate rice noodles
• Pho noodles
• Glass noodles
• Instant ramen

When preparing noodles for a hot pot, it is recommended to soak them in hot water for 30 seconds and drain them first.

It is also important to note that rice can be used as an alternative to noodles.

Broths

When it comes to vegetarian hot pot broths, there are a variety of options to choose from, each with its own unique flavour and ingredients. Here are some detailed instructions on how to prepare some of them:

Mushroom Broth

This broth is a great option for vegetarians as it is packed with umami flavour from the mushrooms. To make this broth, you will need:

• Fresh mushrooms (sliced)
• Green onions (thinly sliced)
• Ginger (sliced)
• Dried shiitake mushrooms
• Dried kombu (dried kelp)
• Vegetable broth
• Goji berries

Start by heating oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the fresh mushrooms, green onions, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Cook this mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown. Then, add rice wine and continue cooking for another minute, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom.

Next, add the dried mushrooms, dried kombu, and vegetable broth. You can also add date sugar at this point if you want a slightly sweeter broth. Simmer this mixture over medium-low heat for about 40 minutes, or until it has reduced by 3 cups. Finally, strain the broth and discard the solids. Add the goji berries and some freshly sliced ginger to the broth, and it's ready to be served!

Spicy Lemongrass and Ginger Broth

This broth is perfect for those who like their food with a kick. It's infused with flavours of lemongrass, ginger, chilli, and tamarind. To make this broth, you'll need:

• Lemongrass stalks (halved)
• Ginger (peeled and sliced)
• Green onion (thinly sliced)
• Thai chillies (sliced)
• Pineapple (chopped)
• Tomatoes (finely diced)
• Corn (sliced into 2-inch pieces)
• Coconut sugar or regular sugar
• Salt
• Tamarind paste (optional)

Heat some oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the lemongrass, ginger, green onion, and chillies, and fry for about 5 minutes. Then, add the tomatoes and pineapple, and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes have released their juice. Pour in water, and add the corn, sugar, salt, and soy sauce. Let this mixture simmer for about 20 minutes. If using tamarind paste, dilute it in a small amount of warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes before straining and adding to the broth.

Miso Broth

A miso broth is a great option for vegetarians as it is savoury and hearty. To make this broth, you'll need:

• Soy milk
• Dried kombu
• Shiitake mushroom seasoning
• White miso or chickpea miso

Add the soy milk, water, and kombu to a pot and simmer gently. Season the broth with mushroom powder and miso paste. That's it! You can also add various vegetables and proteins to this broth, such as carrots, daikon radish, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, and noodles.

Tomato Broth

Tomato broth is another option for vegetarians, offering a slightly sour and tangy flavour. While a pre-made tomato-based hot pot seasoning can be used, one can also be made from scratch with the following ingredients:

• Tomato
• Chilli
• Vegetable broth
• Spices (to taste)

Plain Vegetable Broth

For those who want to keep it simple, a plain vegetable broth is always an option. This can be made from scratch by simmering vegetables such as carrots, onions, celery, and herbs in water for a few hours. The broth can also be made by using a pre-made vegetable broth concentrate or bouillon cubes.

Dipping sauces

Hot pot dipping sauces are highly customisable and can be tailored to your personal taste. Here are some ideas for sauces to accompany your vegetarian hot pot.

Taiwanese Shacha Sauce

This savoury sauce has a hint of garlic and seafood flavour. It is one of the most popular hot pot sauces and can be made with garlic, Shacha sauce, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, scallions, toasted sesame oil, Thai chilli peppers, Chinese sesame paste, cashew butter, and water.

Garlic Sesame Sauce

A great alternative to a spicy sauce, this is a creamy, garlicky, savoury sauce. It can be made with Chinese sesame paste, cashew butter, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, garlic cloves, shiitake mushroom seasoning, and water. If you are allergic to nut butter, you can use sunflower seed butter instead.

Chinese Spicy Garlic Chilli Sauce

This sauce is spicy, savoury, and slightly tangy. It can be made with garlic chilli sauce, balsamic vinegar, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, scallions, sesame seeds, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and oyster sauce.

Japanese Sesame Miso Sauce

This sauce is creamy, nutty, and umami-rich. It is made with miso paste, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, Chinese sesame paste, coconut aminos, toasted white sesame seeds, and water. For a soy-free alternative, use chickpea miso paste.

Spicy Peanut Sauce

This sauce is nutty, spicy, savoury, mildly sour, and sweet. It can be made with unsalted peanut butter, coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, water, garlic chilli sauce, and cilantro. If you can't eat peanut butter, use creamy almond butter instead.

Basic Hot Pot Dipping Sauce

This sauce can be made with Chinese sesame paste, Sha Cha sauce, light soy sauce, chilli oil, oyster sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, and chopped scallions.

Beijing Hot Pot Dipping Sauce

This sauce uses Chinese sesame paste as its base. It can also be made with water or warm hot pot broth, red fermented bean curd, Chinese fermented leek flower sauce, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, grated garlic, and minced cilantro.

Frequently asked questions