chinese hot pot
Chinese hot pot is my family’s go-to dinner for special occasions! It is a fun, interactive social eating experience. The idea is simple: flavorful broth is kept simmering in the middle of the table. Then throughout the meal diners cook small pieces of meat and vegetables in it. To personalize the flavors you also create your own dipping sauce!
In Chinese culture hot pot is not just a meal - it represents community and abundance with people gathering around the steaming round pot to share stories and laugh together. Because of a historic relic “Dongdou” (bronze hot pot) that was discovered during research it is believed that hot pot was created during the Han Dynasty.
Hot pot necessities
Each diner needs a small bowl, dipping dish, spoon, and chopsticks. You will also need the hot pot itself as well as small trays to hold the food for the table.
Ingredients you will need
For the food portion you will want to get hot pot base, thinly sliced meat, tofu, quail eggs, fish balls, lobster balls, tripe, shrimp, shrimp balls, cuttlefish, shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, lotus root, cabbage, bok choy, daikon radish, romaine hearts, dumplings, potatoes, and fresh noodles. All ingredients are cut into bite size pieces.
Approximate cooking times
Raw beef - 10 seconds
Romaine heart - 20 seconds
Tripe - 30 seconds
Bok Choy - 40 seconds
Oyster mushrooms - 50 seconds
Tofu - 1 minute
Shiitake mushrooms - 1 minute
Shrimp/lobster/fish balls - 1 minute
Sliced chicken - 1 minute
Cuttlefish - 2 minutes
Enoki mushrooms - 1-3 minutes
Quail eggs - 2-3 minutes
Cabbage - 3 minutes
Noodles - 7 minutes
Dumplings - 9 minutes
Lotus root - 15-20 minutes
Daikon - 15-20 minutes
Potatoes - 15-20 minutes
Dipping station
Necessities for the dip creation are soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, peanut sauce, sesame oil, Chinese bbq sauce, oyster sauce, fried chili in oil, chili garlic sauce, honey, lemon grass paste, sesame seeds, minced garlic, chopped green onions, minced ginger, sliced Thai chilies, and chopped cilantro. I also like to serve pickled radishes and marinated garlic on the side. Mix different sauces and herbs in your dipping bowl to create your own custom flavor!
Happy dipping!
Recommended products to make this dish
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