I mostly cook French cuisine. But when I’m not cooking French, I often cook Asian. And among all of my Asian dishes, hot pot is my favorite. It reminds me of French fondue. Hot pot is the ancient Asian cookery method of rapidly cooking, bite-size bits of vegetables, meats, seafood, and tofu in a communal tableside broth. It’s just like French fondue. It’s a strong tradition in most Asian families and as your love for it expands, so does your repertoire.
every region of China has different methods, and it appears throughout Asia, in Korea Budae Jjigae And in Japan, you’ll find the ever popular shabu shabu. Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnamese, everyone has their favorite hot pots.
if you already have a Le crueset Dutch oven, you are in luck. Alternatively a big soup pot or stock pot also works. A dual chamber, dedicated hot pot is the yin and yang of hot pot cuisine, Where you can save one side for spicy on the other side for not.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Meats & Seafood
- 1 lb beef flank (shabu shabu sliced thin works nice, but you can use any thin cuts of meat you prefer, such as chicken breast, pork, etc.)
- 1 lb of seafood such as tilapia fillets, shrimp, squid, clams, fish balls, etc. (we like to get a mixed seafood bag from our local Asian market)
- Vegetables & Other Essentials
- 1 lb firm tofu
- 12 oz dried vermicelli noodles
- 1/2 lb spinach
- 1/2 lb Chinese broccoli
- 1/2 lb seafood mushrooms or king oyster mushrooms
1 bag of Little Sheep Hot Pot Seasoning, we like spicy and our hot pot has a divider to also do mild, which our daughter prefers
Dipping Sauce
- 12 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Shacha sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp sesame oil
- 12 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 tsp salt
- 3 tsp sugar
- 3 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1.5 tsp chili oil (to taste)
- 12 tbsp boiled water
Instructions
Step 1: Freeze & Partially Thaw Meat If It is Not Already Sliced Thin
- Partially frozen meat is easier to slice thinly.
- If frozen, move meat to the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
- If using fresh meat, freeze it for 1-2 hours before slicing.
- The ideal texture: still firm but with a little give.
Step 2: Wash & Prepare Vegetables & Mushrooms
- Rinse all vegetables and mushrooms thoroughly.
- Cut firm tofu into cubes.
- Soak dried vermicelli noodles if using.
Step 3: Slice Meat Thinly
- Place a towel under the cutting board for stability.
- Slice beef, chicken, and pork into 1-2 mm thin slices.
- For pork chop marinade, mix salt, baking soda, cornstarch, and water before coating the pork.
Step 4: Mix Dipping Sauce
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Add boiled water to help preserve freshness.
Now you have everything you need to make an authentic, restaurant-quality hot pot at home! Enjoy!