How To Make Chinese Hot Pot (Recipe) – by Pang Wu YuiYi
November 11, 2007 by Helen Yuet Ling Pang
I HAVE MOVED MY BLOG TO WWW.WORLDFOODIEGUIDE.COM. CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS POST. IT’S EASIER TO NAVIGATE THE NEW BLOG, WHICH HAS MORE CONTENT AND PHOTOS. THANKS! HELEN YUET LING PANG
Here’s a wonderful recipe for colder weather, as it will keep you nice and warm for hours. I don’t know how other Chinese people prepare their hot pot (or steamboat), but this is how my mother does it, so I’ve described it the way we’ve always had it at home. Naturally, there are many variations based on personal preferences and regional differences, but ours follows the Hong Kong Cantonese style. I’ve had Beijing and Mongolian hot pot in China and these were definitely different.
Helen Yuet Ling Pang @ World Foodie Guide
Posted in Chinese, cooking, fish, food, healthy, meat, noodles, recipes, seafood, vegetarian | Tagged Chinese, cooking, fish, food, healthy, hot pot, meat, noodles, recipes, seafood, steamboat, vegetarian, XO sauce | 16 Comments
16 Responses
on November 2, 2007 at 2:03 pm foodieguide
My friend Susan S. Cheung has sent me some helpful tips, based on her own hot pot experiences:
‘If you have no vegetarians for dinner, you can make hot pot stock with vegetables and chicken stock. You can add some Maggi chicken stock to your basic stock or make fresh chicken stock by boiling chicken bones for a while. I add a little salt as well.
You suggested that lamb or beef as excellent choice of meats. In my experience, many Chinese, especially from Southern China and Hong Kong, don’t like the strong taste of lamb and in both of our parents’ households, beef is hardly cooked because most people don’t like the taste of it. If you have vegetarians and meat eaters together, then have two hot pots going. If you physically only have one pot, then cook the meat separately on the stove and add to your bowl when the vegetables are cooked.
Try fried tofu as well as soft tofu and dried bean curd sticks, though they have to be soaked for a while beforehand. Leave shells and heads of prawns on for flavour.
Don’t forget garnishes for your dish. We always have a plate of finely chopped coriander, spring onions and some fresh uncooked small bean sprouts for scattering onto our bowls.
A personal preference – I like a cube of spicy fermented bean curd with my dish, as well as other dipping sauces. And I like chilli oil instead of chilli sauce.
Finally, don’t forget the karaoke – hot pot and karaoke fit like a horse and carriage, or else I’ve been tortured by my cousins in Hong Kong!!!’
Thank you Susan, I’m having hot pot next weekend, so will definitely bear your tips in mind! Helen Yuet Ling
on November 13, 2007 at 7:47 pm VegeYum
Helen, your hotpot looks delicious. Love the fact that there is a vege option. Love your pot too.
on November 13, 2007 at 7:52 pm foodieguide
Thanks VegeYum! My diet consists mostly of delicious vegetarian food cooked by my husband. Once in a while, I get to eat a bit of meat when I eat out. Hot pot can definitely be purely vegetarian, and super healthy. Let me know if you give it a try! Helen Yuet Ling
on November 13, 2007 at 8:29 pm VegeYum
I need a husband like that!
on January 31, 2008 at 4:28 am Am Ang Zhang
I love your presentation, the photos and the details. In my blog on Antioxidants and Cooking today, I referred to this recipe of yours and your wonderful World Foodie Guide, which I am sure people will enjoy and find helpful.
on January 31, 2008 at 2:07 pm foodieguide
Thank you Uncle! Your blog looks really interesting, and I will go through it in more detail over the weekend. I may have to consult you and Aunty for cooking tips! Helen Yuet Ling
on January 31, 2008 at 9:23 pm Tiramisuluver
Guess what? I am having hot pot session this Saturday!! Can’t wait to stock up all the yummy (spicy) fishballs!
Sneaking some tips from your blog, I am defo going add enoki mushroom to my shopping list. 🙂
on February 1, 2008 at 7:59 pm foodieguide
What fun! I was only talking about hot pot with a friend yesterday. She went to Red n’Hot on Charing X Road for Sichuan hot pot recently.
Spicy fishballs are so delicious. Enoki mushrooms are great, as are shimeji mushrooms. And if you can find tong ho (Chinese vegetables), that’s lovely for hot pot. Don’t forget the XO sauce…
on March 13, 2008 at 4:51 pm R.W.Apple Wannabe
Hi Helen,
I’ve just found your blog and am enjoying it! By coincidence, I just ate at Angeles this Monday and had the Szechuan hot pot. At £20 a person, I thought all that fresh, beautiful food was a steal, and I’m looking forward to returning to try the “regular” Szechuan menu.
on March 13, 2008 at 7:24 pm foodieguide
Hi R.W. Apple Wannabe!
Thanks for visiting. Just had a quick look at your blog, it seems we share the same tastes! Off to Pearl Liang on Sunday as part of my research into where to eat dim sum. I’ve been writing way too much on dim sum and must stop soon! Maybe switch to hot pot again! Thanks for your Angeles recommendation. There are so many Sichuan restaurants to try!
Keep in touch!
Helen Yuet Ling
on April 28, 2008 at 4:57 pm Arti
Hi, I was wondering if anyone could tell me where i could buy the Yin /Yang pot from in London.
on April 28, 2008 at 6:15 pm foodieguide
Hi Arti
I don’t use one, as you can see, but I think you can buy the pot from most large Chinese supermarkets (Oriental City in Colindale apparently closes next month, so hurry!, Loon Fung, Wing Yip)?
Good luck and let me know if you’re successful!
Helen Yuet Ling
on April 30, 2008 at 7:44 am Hot Pot (火鍋) « Stream in the Hip Desert 新荒漠甘泉; Hip Food
[…] Hot Pot(火鍋) Jump to Comments Hot pot or steamboat is also known as the chinese fondue. You can read more about Hot Pots in Wikipedia. And more on this world foodie guide blog. […]
on June 6, 2008 at 7:59 am Lynn Taylor
How could you leave this out –
3 tbsp. Fermented bean curd
3 – 4 tbsp peanut butter
dash sesame oil
soy milk (for blending)Blend into a smooth amazing dipping sauce for hot – pot.
on June 6, 2008 at 4:56 pm foodieguide
Hmmm, will have to try this next time (in the autumn now, I suppose). Thanks for the tip…
Helen Yuet Ling
on September 1, 2009 at 12:07 am ramenkia
Another dipping sauce if you like it spicy – diced red hot chillies and garlic with fish sauce and lemon juice.
Comments are closed.
