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Hot pot is the most democratic of Chinese meals: a pot of simmering broth on a gas or electric burner at the center of the table, plates of raw ingredients arranged around it — thinly sliced lamb or beef, tofu, mushrooms, leafy vegetables, fish balls, dumplings — and each person cooks their own piece in the communal broth. The Chongqing version uses a broth that is almost entirely dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and beef tallow, producing a numbing-spicy experience that turns the lips red and makes the tongue tingle for an hour. The Cantonese version uses a clean pork or chicken bone broth that deepens as the meal progresses, each ingredient adding to it. The dipping sauce is personal: Chongqing style uses sesame paste, garlic, and cilantro; Beijing hot pot (featuring lamb) uses a sesame-tahini base. The broth at the end of a hot pot meal is itself considered worth drinking.
In a large pot, bring the chicken or beef broth to a simmer.
Add the minced garlic, sliced ginger, and soy sauce to the broth. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes to infuse the flavors.
Arrange the thinly sliced beef or lamb, shrimp or fish fillets, tofu, mushrooms, leafy greens, root vegetables, and noodles on separate plates or a large platter.
Place the simmering broth in the center of the table on a portable burner or hot plate.
Ensure each guest has their own bowl and chopsticks.
Allow guests to cook their desired ingredients in the simmering broth.
The thinly sliced meat and seafood will cook quickly, usually within a few minutes.
Vegetables and tofu can be added and cooked to the desired tenderness.
Noodles should be added last and cooked until tender.
Provide a variety of dipping sauces for guests to use with their cooked ingredients.
Guests can transfer the cooked ingredients from the hot pot to their bowls and dip them in the sauces as they prefer.
Communal simmering-broth table cooking; each diner cooks raw ingredients in shared pot; Sichuan spicy vs. Cantonese mild versions.
China; Mongolian-influenced origins; Sichuan mala hot pot developed in Chongqing in the 20th century; Inner Mongolia lamb hot pot is a separate tradition.
Broth (Sichuan: chili-tallow or Cantonese: pork bone); thin-sliced meat, tofu, mushrooms, leafy greens, fish balls, noodles; dipping sauce: sesame paste + garlic + cilantro.
Don't cook everything at once — add a few pieces at a time so the broth temperature stays high; delicate items (tofu, leafy greens) need only 30-60 seconds.
Cold Chinese beer (mandatory for Sichuan mala); the meal itself is complete; sesame dipping sauce is the essential accompaniment.