Hot pot, also known as Chinese fondue or steamboat, is a popular communal cooking and dining experience in Chinese cuisine. Diners sit around a pot of simmering broth and add a variety of raw ingredients to cook tableside. The possibilities for hot pot ingredients are nearly endless, allowing for customization based on personal tastes and local availability. Here’s an overview of the key components that usually go into hot pot.
The Broth
The foundation of any hot pot meal is the broth kept simmering in the pot. While water can be used, broth is typically favored for added aroma and flavor. Common hot pot broth bases include:
- Chicken broth – Made from boiling chicken bones and meat for hours.
- Beef broth – Made from boiling beef bones and meat.
- Lamb broth – Made from boiling lamb bones and meat.
- Seafood broth – Made from boiling seafood shells, bones, and meat.
- Mushroom broth – Made from boiling dried Chinese mushrooms.
- Spicy broth – Broths infused with chilies and Sichuan peppercorns.
- Tom yum broth – Thai-style hot and sour broth with lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves.
- Kimchi broth – Korean-style broth made with fermented napa cabbage.
- Tomato broth – Light broth made with fresh tomatoes.
- Consommé broth – Clear broth made by clarifying meat broths.
Many hot pot broths combine multiple ingredients, such as chicken broth spiked with garlic, ginger, and chili. The broth is kept at a steady simmer throughout the meal. Diners can request refills of their favorites.
Meats
Thinly sliced meats are commonly added to the bubbling broth to quickly cook tableside. Some popular hot pot meat choices include:
- Beef – Ribeye, sirloin, flank steak, brisket, tripe.
- Pork – Belly, shoulder, loin.
- Lamb – Chops, leg.
- Chicken – Breast, thigh.
- Duck – Breast.
- Seafood – Shrimp, squid, fish balls.
- Sausages – Chinese lap cheong, fish cakes.
The meats are usually sliced paper-thin so they cook within seconds in the simmering broth. Fattier cuts of pork and beef are favored for their melt-in-your-mouth texture after hot pot cooking. The cooked meats are typically dipped in sauce before eating.
Seafood
An assortment of fresh seafood is often added to the customizable ingredients for hot pot. Some popular options include:
- Shrimp
- Scallops
- Squid
- Fish fillets or balls
- Crab
- Lobster
- Clams
- Mussels
- Oysters
The seafood is usually lightly cooked in the simmering broth just until done. Diners often dip the cooked seafood in ponzu sauce, sesame oil, or other condiments.
Vegetables
A wide selection of fresh vegetables are essential for the well-rounded hot pot experience. Some commonly used ingredients include:
- Napa cabbage
- Bok choy
- Spinach
- Watercress
- Mushrooms
- Bean sprouts
- Lotus root
- Winter melon
- Green beans
- Tofu
- Sweet potato noodles
- Rice cakes
The vegetables soak up the flavors of the broth and add texture and nutrients. Having a balance of leafy greens, mushrooms, tubers, and noodles is ideal.
Noodles
Adding noodles to the hot pot allows them to cook perfectly tableside. Some popular noodle choices are:
- Rice noodles
- Egg noodles
- Udon noodles
- Ramen noodles
- Cellophane noodles
- Shirataki noodles
The noodles soak up the broth during cooking. They can be dipped in sauce and eaten on their own, or enjoyed together with other ingredients like meats and veggies.
Sauces and Seasonings
A variety of sauces and condiments are essential for dipping and seasoning hot pot ingredients. Popular options include:
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Garlic sauce
- Chili oil
- Ponzu sauce
- Hoisin sauce
- Spicy bean paste
- Sichuan peppercorn powder
- Cilantro
- Green onion
Diners mix their own dipping sauce to their taste, combining flavors like spicy, savory, tangy and herbal. The sauces add another layer of flavor to the cooked foods.
Dessert Course
Many hot pot meals conclude with a light dessert course to cleanse the palate. Some sweet treats include:
- Fruit – Oranges, watermelon, grapes, mango
- Jellies – Grass jelly, coconut jelly
- Sweet soups – Red bean soup, black sesame soup
- Ice cream
- Mochi
The fresh fruit and chilled desserts provide contrast to the steaming hot pot. They allow diners to linger, chat, and savor the communal experience.
Conclusion
At its core, hot pot is all about flexibility and customization to each diner’s preferences. The bubbling broth serves as the foundation for cooking a wide selection of meats, seafood, vegetables and noodles. A variety of dipping sauces and condiments allow further personalization of flavors. Hot pot is a highly social dining experience, with diners cooking their ingredients tableside and swapping customizable bites. The possibilities are endless, limited only by local availability of ingredients and the tastes of the gathered diners. With so many options for broths, meats, vegetables and seasonings, hot pot is always an exciting and interactive meal.