Chinese Hot Pot At Home

Method7 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: For the author’s six-person example, choose eight to twelve dipping foods from the options, with a mix of proteins, vegetables and starches. You do not need every category. Wash vegetables and cut the chosen foods into bite-sized pieces as listed; do not wash raw meat or fish. If using dried tofu skin, dried shiitake, kelp, wood ear or glass noodles, soak and drain them first according to their packet directions. Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator. Keep raw meat, fish and seafood on separate plates from vegetables and ready foods, and refrigerate perishable ingredients at 4°C (40°F) or below until needed. Prepared hand-pulled-noodle dough should already be rested and cut into strips.

   Uses Beef, lamb or pork, cut into thin slices against the grain. (choose well-marbled cuts if possible) · Precooked meatballs (defrosted if frozen) · Canned meat (Spam), sliced · Boneless fish fillet, thinly sliced (e.g. halibut, catfish, cod, sea bass, pangasius, etc.) · Shrimp, with or without the skin/head · Squid, sliced · Fish balls · Fish or shrimp paste (shaped into balls while having the hot pot)

2. 2

   Step 2: Mix dipping sauces to each diner’s preference using only the desired condiments, pastes, oils, spices, aromatics, sesame seeds or toasted peanuts. Taste and adjust, including optional salt if needed, then distribute into individual bowls. Keep separate clean supplies of the chosen seasonings for later adjustments. Chilli ingredients are optional.

   Uses Sauces: light soy sauce, black rice vinegar, oyster sauce, shacha sauce (Chinese barbecue sauce) · Pastes: sesame paste, peanut butter, fermented bean curd · Oil: sesame oil, chilli oil · Spices: chili powder, ground Sichuan pepper · Aromatics: minced garlic, coriander, scallions, fresh chilli · Optional sesame seeds or toasted peanuts for dipping sauces, to taste · Optional salt to adjust the chosen dipping sauce, to taste

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Set a suitable indoor tabletop heat source and a wide, shallow stable pot in the middle of the table. Keep cables out of walking routes. Fill with ready mild or spicy broth, or use both in separate sides of a divided pot, leaving room for the foods. Arrange the selected prepared plates around it. Put out each diner’s dipping bowl and provide separate utensils for adding raw food and removing cooked food, plus clean eating chopsticks. Keep unused perishable food refrigerated and bring out small amounts as needed.

   Uses Ready spicy hot-pot broth, homemade or shop-bought, enough for your pot; choose one or use both in a divided pot · Ready mild hot-pot broth, homemade or shop-bought, enough for your pot; choose one or use both in a divided pot · Selected prepared dipping foods, drained soaking water excluded · Prepared individual dipping-sauce bowls and separate adjustment supplies

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Turn on the heat and wait until the broth reaches a boil before adding food. Cook only a small batch at a time so the broth can return promptly to a steady simmer; lower the heat if it boils violently. Meat, mushrooms or seaweed can go first to flavour the broth. Leave starchy foods such as potatoes, noodles and dumplings until later, and cook them only until properly done. If using prepared hand-pulled-noodle strips, pull and drop each into the broth separately. Keep the remaining uncooked selections cold while each batch cooks.

   Uses Chosen ready broth in the pot, food plates and dipping sauces excluded · Small selected batch of prepared dipping foods

5. 5

   Step 5: Cook every batch through before eating; a colour change alone is not enough. Use a food thermometer for representative thick pieces: thin slices of intact beef, lamb or pork and fish fillet should reach at least 63°C (145°F) for 15 seconds; raw fish- or shrimp-paste balls need at least 68°C (155°F) for 17 seconds. Meat- or seafood-filled dumplings and wontons need 74°C (165°F) in the filling. Follow product directions for prepared meatballs and fish balls, making them hot through. Cook shrimp and squid through until firm and opaque; follow the appropriate directions for any other chosen seafood. Potatoes and other vegetables should be tender, and noodles fully cooked.

   Uses Small batch cooking in the simmering broth

6. 6

   Step 6: Lift only fully cooked food from the broth with clean cooked-food utensils and enjoy it with the diner’s chosen dipping sauce. Keep raw-food utensils and plates separate from these utensils, eating chopsticks and dipping bowls. Repeat with the next small batch, checking it is fully cooked before serving.

   Uses Fully cooked dipping foods lifted out, broth and still-raw foods excluded · Chosen portion of a prepared individual dipping sauce · Further chosen uncooked food, kept cold until its turn

7. 7

   Step 7: As the broth level falls during the meal, top up with hot water only as needed. Let it return to a boil before adding another small batch of food, then maintain a steady simmer and repeat the cooked-through checks. Keep perishable foods outside refrigeration within 2 hours altogether, or 1 hour if the room is above 32°C (90°F).

   Uses Remaining hot-pot broth during the meal · Hot water as needed to top up the simmering broth during the meal