Chinese hot pot fever: what is it and how to make it

Chinese hot pot or huoguo (火锅) is both a dish and a social activity. Hot pot is a delightful dining experience where a pot of seasoned broth boils at the center of the table for each diner to cook their favorite meats, vegetables, seafood, fish and other delicacies to taste. It offers a wide range of culinary delights and is not hard to make at home. Let’s take a look at the most popular types of Chinese hot pot meals.

Broths and soup bases

Probably the most popular hot pot style is from Chongqing. It consists of a fatty beef broth with lots of chili peppers, Szechuan pepper and other spices such as star anise, black cardamom and licorice root. Hot pot is especially popular in Chongqing and around the Yangtze River, but since this area used to belong to Szechuan province, there are many similarities between the two hot pot styles. That’s why many restaurants call it Szechuan hot pot, which may be more recognizable to Westerners. It’s my favorite style, but there is a wide variety of broths and soup bases that I’ll categorize according to their flavor profiles. Soup bases can be found in any Asian food store, in case you don’t feel like making it from scratch.

• Málà has a spicy hot flavor profile that creates a tingling sensation in the mouth, thanks to the abundant Szechuan pepper used. The most popular versions come from Chongqing and Szechuan. You can adjust the heat to your liking. It consists of beef fat, broth and a blend of spices. To make a simple version, you’ll need chili peppers, Szechuan pepper, ginger, black cardamom, garlic, Chinese chives, sugar, doubanjiang (spicy bean paste), and beef or pork fat. The broth is typically made with pork, chicken, beef or plain water, but it’s usually not consumed as soup.
• Suan cai yu (hot and sour fish with pickled greens) has a more atypical flavor profile without all the spiciness and fat. A fish broth is made by simmering fish heads and bones until it becomes white and creamy. The preferred pickled vegetable is usually ya cai or fermented mustard greens, which can be substituted with sauerkraut. Chopped garlic, ginger, coriander and Szechuan pepper are added, and hot oil is poured over to release the aromas. To prepare it, start with a fish stock and add 200 grams of sauerkraut or pickled mustard greens, minced garlic, ginger, coriander and a tablespoon of Szechuan pepper to taste.

• Congee comes from the city of Shunde in Canton province. The spicy broths described above are often replaced by a simple congee, which is a mild rice broth. The idea is to build the flavor of the congee as you cook the ingredients in it. This video explains how to prepare a Cantonese congee. I recommend substituting water with chicken broth to avoid using powdered chicken flavor, and adding a 1.5-inch piece of crushed ginger.
• Vegetarian broth is also a tremendously popular choice. The most common types are tomato and mushroom. Tomato broth is made with fresh, sweet tomatoes and vegetables, which add acidity for complexity. Mushroom broth is rich and packed with umami. Dehydrated shiitake mushrooms combined with fresh ones are the most common types used. For a thin and tasty mushroom broth, use at least 12 dehydrated mushrooms and don’t reduce it.
• Citrus and coconut broth come from China’s tropical areas, like Hunan province, and use fresh citrus fruits and coconut milk. The Thai versions are made with kaffir lime leaf, galangal root, lemongrass, fish sauce, fresh chilies, lime juice and water or coconut milk. It makes a much fresher and lighter broth that I like to mix with the málà broth. The popular tom yum and tom ka Thai soups use a citrus and coconut broth with added chicken, shrimp, vegetables and what ever else you want.

Seasoning sauces

In hot pot cooking, each diner makes their own sauce to accompany the cooked ingredients. It should complement the broth type and is served in a small bowl. Hot pot restaurants often provide a table with various ingredients for you to mix your own sauce. There are countless combinations to try until you find your favorite sauce; below are some of the most popular ones.

• Minced garlic, sesame oil, oyster sauce, cilantro, black rice vinegar, salt and monosodium glutamate. This is the most popular sauce of all.
• Peanut and sesame paste, minced peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, salt and black rice vinegar. This sauce is the best choice to counteract a spicy broth.
• Chopped fresh chili peppers, chili powder, minced peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, Szechuan peppercorn oil, chili oil, soy sauce, black rice vinegar, salt and sugar. This is a good sauce for broths that aren’t spicy.

What do we cook in the broth?

Hot pot has a limitless variety of ingredients due to its humble origins. Offal like tripe, organs and sweetbreads were often used in the past since it was cheaper than finer cuts of meat (although it can be pricier these days). A well-stocked hot pot table should include the following food groups.

• Meat: Thin cuts of beef, lamb or pork, and thicker cuts marinated in egg and chili pepper (readily available in the frozen food sections of Asian stores).
• Vegetables: Chinese cabbage, tomato, corn, spinach, bok choi, bean sprouts, lotus root, potato, etc.
• Mushrooms: enoki (needle mushrooms), shiitake, shimeji, wood ear mushrooms, button mushrooms, etc.
• Seafood and fish: shrimp, squid, thin cuts of white fish, fish balls (also available in the frozen food sections of Asian stores), etc.
• Tofu: fresh, fried, smoked, and frozen tofu.
• Offal: cow tripe, duck intestine, duck tongue, cow tongue, lamb kidneys, duck and chicken gizzards, sweetbreads, pig aorta, etc.
• Carbs: mainly noodles of all kinds and gyoza dumplings.

How to safely make hot pot at home

Gathering family and friends around a table for hours of conversation while enjoying a homecooked meal is something special. Making hot pot at home is relatively simple, but you will need a portable gas burner or electric hot plate to keep the pot boiling. Any large pot will do, but if you want to make this a regular thing, buy a specially made Chinese pot with two compartments for different broths.

Another consideration is food safety. When handling raw meat alongside other foods, there is a risk of cross contamination. This is especially important when using the same chopsticks for picking up different ingredients. Keep the following in mind when making hot pot at home.

• Meat is typically taken directly from the freezer, as the thin cuts defrost quickly in boiling soup. After slicing the meat, leave it in the freezer for at least 90 minutes. Take it out as you cook, instead of all at once.
• Use separate utensils for raw meat to avoid cross-contamination with other ingredients or cooked food. Having separate utensils for each ingredient is ideal.
• Adhere to the recommended safe cooking times for meat, fish and seafood. The cuts are thin, so they cook quickly. Ensure the heat evenly reaches all parts of the ingredient.
• If you want to consume the broth, remember that raw ingredients are continuously added. Give the broth enough cooking time to eliminate any possible risks.

To ensure a safe and delightful hot pot experience at home, it’s important to follow these basic guidelines. Take a moment to consider the type of broth, seasonings and ingredients you’d like to prepare. You can purchase pre-made soup bases and meat cuts from your nearest Asian supermarket if you prefer an easier approach. Start a new tradition and invite a few friends to gather around the hot pot table, just like you would for a barbecue. It’s a brief respite from busy lives and a chance to unwind with the people who hold a special place in your heart.

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