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What do you think of when you hear the words Hot Pot? Maybe you imagine a large cauldron suspended over an open flame, with all sorts of goodies stewing together. Or perhaps you see a large pot of boiling water, ready to make some spaghetti. Well, when you mention the two words Hot Pot to someone who grew up in a Chinese family, their thoughts immediately drift towards one simple image: Friends and family crowded around a boiling broth, dipping in their favorite raw vegetables and meats that are splayed out around the pot.
The Chinese dish Hot Pot has been a cornerstone of Chinese cuisine for over 1,000 years. The roots of this simple eating style can be traced back as far as the Jin Dynasty (266 – 420); however, it seems that the most widely recorded use of the Hot Pot style was by the Mongolians. As their conquests and raids took them far and wide, they had to pack light. Using their helmets to substitute their pots, they would boil the water to simmer their foods and use their shields as grills.
How is hotpot eaten?
The components of an authentic hotpot are the broth, cooking ingredients, and dipping sauces. Hotpot is usually eaten with multiple people at once, with the pot at the center of the table and cooking ingredients spread out across the table. The ingredients are then placed in the pot for cooking. Once the dipping ingredients are cooked, each individual picks whatever they would like and dips it in their personal dipping sauce to eat. Although these core three parts are essential to every hot pot meal, each component can be tailored to each individual’s preferences.
Broth
The broth is the centerpiece of every hotpot meal since all ingredients are cooked in this broth. In most cases, the pots used during hotpot meals offer a metal divider, enabling us to enjoy different flavors of broths in a single pot. Here are two of the most common hotpot soup bases that are found in restaurants and Chinese households.
Qing Tang/清汤 or Clear broth
This type of clear broth usually consists of a meat stock (generally chicken, pork, or beef), goji berries, ginger, scallions, mushrooms, Chinese dates (红枣/Hong Zao), and other herbs/aromatics. The Qing Tang broth is usually tailored to those who want a more neutral and non-spicy hotpot experience and is the most basic type of broth.
clear
Mala/麻辣 or Numbing/Spicy broth
Mala may be the way to go for those who enjoy more of a kick in their foods. This broth offers an aromatic Sichuan-style flavor that has a unique numbing spice to it. The broth is typically made of a beef tallow base with Sichuan peppers, Aromatics, chili bean oil/paste, and other Chinese spices.
Cooking Ingredients
When it comes to cooking/dipping ingredients in a hotpot, there are endless options to what you can include. In Chinese restaurants and households, hotpot ingredients include a variety of thinly sliced meats, vegetables, seafood, noodles, tofu, and fish balls.
Dipping Sauces
When it comes to eating hotpot, dipping sauces are a must for an enjoyable and authentic hotpot experience. Sauces include soy sauce, Black/white vinegar, Oyster Sauce, Shacha Sauce, and sesame paste. In addition, there are always toppings that go along with these sauces, which include minced garlic, cilantro, Red chili, crushed peanuts, scallion, and other herbs and spices.
Whether it is for a social gathering, special occasion, or even a spur-of-the-moment decision, thousands of people enjoy hot pot daily. Hot pot has become a universal symbol of family, friends, and a good time. In 2016, the Hot Pot industry had grown into a more than 100 billion USD industry, with one of the most successful Chinese franchises known as Hai Di Lao earning over 6.45 billion USD in 2021. From its humble origins as a quick and easy meal for Mongolian soldiers to the modern dining experience, hotpot has and will continue to evolve past its humble beginnings.
(article by William Chen and Eddie Huang)
William Chen
