Mongolian Fire: Unraveling The Mystery Behind Mongolia's Exclusive Hot Pot Culture

Hot pot, or hotpot, is a dish that originated in Mongolia over 1000 years ago. It is a dish where a heat source is placed on the dining table to keep a pot of soup stock simmering. The dish is served with a variety of raw ingredients, such as meat and vegetables, which are then cooked in the broth. The cooked pieces are then dipped into sauces for additional flavouring. The dish is typically served without rice or noodles on the side.

The origins of hot pot

The creation of copper pots during the Three Kingdoms period (200–280 AD) is generally acknowledged as the origin of the hot pot. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589), people gradually used hot pots for cooking chicken and duck. Later, the Mongols established the Yuan Dynasty and were influenced by hot pot culture, adding beef and lamb to the dish.

Over time, the hot pot way of cooking developed regional variations, with different ingredients added such as seafood, beef, lamb, and vegetables. Hot pot became popular among Chinese emperors during the Qing dynasty. In recent decades, the spread of Chinese immigration to the United States has helped make hot pot globally recognized.

How to eat hot pot

Hot pot is a fun and interactive dining experience. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to eat it:

Selecting the broth

The first step is to select a broth. A single hot pot restaurant will usually offer several broths to choose from, but you can also opt for a combination of two broths served in the same pot with a metal divider. Popular options include chicken broth, which is great for beginners, and the bold and spicy Chongqing variant. If you are a vegetarian, you can opt for a savoury mushroom broth.

Choosing the ingredients

The next step is to select your ingredients. Hot pot is typically a communal meal, so sharing is encouraged. There are three basic components to choose from: broth, dipping ingredients, and sauces.

Meat and protein

Thinly sliced beef is a popular choice as it cooks quickly, within 10 to 30 seconds. Other options include chicken pieces, dumplings, and meatballs made from meat, fish, or pork.

Seafood

Head-on shrimp is a good choice as they cook in their shells, adding flavour to the broth. Other options include haddock, seabass, squid, and eel. Shellfish such as mussels, oysters, crab, and lobster are also great choices.

Vegetables

Select a variety of vegetables, keeping in mind that they cook at different rates. Delicate vegetables like lettuce will cook within seconds, while hardy vegetables like potatoes will take several minutes.

Noodles

Noodles are a great addition to round out the meal, as they cook quickly and are filling. Common options include udon, vermicelli, chow mein, and shangdong noodles.

Cooking the ingredients

Once you have selected your ingredients, it's time to start cooking. Use a hot pot strainer or chopsticks to add the ingredients to the boiling broth. Start with ingredients that take longer to cook, such as meat or fish balls, followed by larger pieces of protein and hardy greens. Then, add delicate meats and greens, removing them once they are cooked. Finally, add the noodles and cook them until soft.

Dipping sauce and side dishes

Create your own dipping sauce by combining ingredients from the sauce bar. You can also enjoy hot pot with side dishes such as roasted nuts, spicy cucumber or mushroom salad, scallion pancakes, and spring rolls.

Drinking the broth

After you have finished cooking and eating, you can ladle the broth into a bowl and sip it slowly. It will be very hot, so be careful.

Tips

• Cook your ingredients gradually, pacing them with your eating speed.
• Remember that the food will be hot when you remove it from the broth.
• Different foods have different cooking times, so adjust accordingly.
• Use designated long cooking chopsticks or handheld baskets to retrieve your food.
• If your server adds more broth, don't panic – they are just rebalancing the flavours.
• Hot pot is a communal meal, so share and offer your ingredients to your friends.

The difference between Mongolian and Sichuan hot pot

The hot pot is a beloved dish in China, with a history that dates back to the Jin dynasty about 1000 years ago. It is believed that the original hot pot was cooked in the upturned helmets of Mongolian horsemen and featured meats like beef, mutton, or horse. Over the centuries, the hot pot has evolved and spread throughout China and other parts of East Asia, with each region putting its unique spin on this communal dining experience. Here are the differences between the Mongolian hot pot and the Sichuan hot pot:

Mongolian Hot Pot:

The Mongolian hot pot, also known as the Beijing-style hot pot, is characterised by its simplicity and the use of copper pots. The focus is on the quality of the ingredients rather than a heavily flavoured broth. The ingredients are often cooked in clear water or a lightly flavoured broth, with some scallions, goji berries, and ginger. The key ingredient is thinly sliced mutton, but other meats and vegetables are also used. The traditional dipping sauce for the Mongolian hot pot is Zhīmajiàng, a sesame-based sauce similar to Tahini but with a stronger and sweeter taste.

Sichuan Hot Pot:

The Sichuan hot pot, also known as Chongqing hot pot, is famous for its bold and spicy flavours. The broth is heavily flavoured with ingredients like Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, garlic, star anise, and chilli. This combination of spices creates a numbing spiciness that is characteristic of Sichuan cuisine. The hot pot is often eaten with máodù (cow stomach) and sesame oil is used as a dipping sauce to balance the spice. The Sichuan hot pot is known for its intense flavours and is considered one of the most celebrated versions of the dish.

In summary, the main differences between the Mongolian and Sichuan hot pots lie in the flavour profiles and the focus on specific ingredients. While the Mongolian hot pot emphasises simplicity and the quality of meat, the Sichuan hot pot is known for its dense, spicy flavours and the use of unique spices and ingredients. Both variations have contributed to the evolution of the hot pot, making it a beloved and versatile dish in China and beyond.

The evolution of hot pot

The hot pot, or "fire pot", is a dish that involves a heat source placed underneath a pot of soup stock, which is kept simmering throughout the meal. Raw ingredients such as meat and vegetables are placed into the broth to cook, and then dipped into sauces for added flavour.

The earliest prototypes of the hot pot are thought to be the tripods of the Zhou dynasty, where diners among the nobility had personal bronze pots called ran lu, consisting of a small stove with a pot above burning charcoal. The first widely recognised hot pot emerged during the Three Kingdoms period (200-280 AD), when copper pots were used. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589), people used hot pots to cook chicken and duck, and the dish became particularly popular during this period of extreme cold.

Later, during the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols were influenced by hot pot culture and began to add beef and lamb to the dish, thus creating the Northern Chinese style hot pot. The Qing dynasty saw the dish become popular among the emperors, and it was during this time that hot pot became globally recognised.

Today, hot pots are prepared with a variety of broth types and ingredients, depending on individual preferences. Typical hot pot ingredients include thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, vermicelli, sliced potatoes, tofu, and seafood. The dish is usually served communally, with a large pot placed in the centre of the table.

Hot pot in modern times

Hot pot is a popular dish in modern times, with restaurants dedicated to this style of cooking found in many major cities around the world. The social and interactive nature of hot pot dining has led to its global recognition and popularity.

Hot pot is an incredibly social meal, with its communal nature encouraging conversation and interaction between diners. This style of dining is becoming increasingly popular in Western restaurants, with many people enjoying the opportunity to connect with friends and family over a shared meal. The interactive nature of hot pot also allows diners to customise their meal according to their preferences, with a variety of broths, dipping ingredients and sauces to choose from.

The hot pot experience usually involves diners gathering around a table with their own plates and bowls containing a dipping sauce and seasonings. A large pot of flavoured broth is placed on a heat source in the centre of the table and kept simmering throughout the meal. Diners then add a variety of raw ingredients to the broth, cooking them to their desired level before removing them with chopsticks or a large spoon and dipping them in their chosen sauce.

The variety of ingredients used in hot pot means that it can be adapted to suit different dietary preferences and restrictions. While meat, particularly thinly sliced meat, is a common ingredient, there are also numerous vegetarian and vegan options available, such as tofu, noodles, mushrooms and vegetables.

The social and interactive nature of hot pot dining, combined with its adaptability and customisability, has led to its popularity in modern times. It is a unique dining experience that encourages connection and interaction between diners, offering a fun and engaging way to enjoy a meal with friends and family.

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