Chinese Hot Pot Broth with Dipping Sauces
Hot pot is the ultimate interactive meal: a simmering pot of broth at the center of the table where everyone cooks their own meat, seafood, and vegetables. This gives you both a mild and spicy broth.
Ingredients
- Mild broth: 8 cups chicken broth, 6 slices ginger, 4 scallions, 6 dried jujubes (red dates), 1 handful goji berries, 1 tsp salt
- Spicy broth: 8 cups chicken broth, 3 tbsp Sichuan chili bean paste (doubanjiang), 2 tbsp chili oil, 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, 5 dried chilies, 4 slices ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick
- Dipping sauce base: sesame paste (or tahini), soy sauce, black vinegar, chili oil, minced garlic, chopped scallions, cilantro, sesame oil
- Suggested items to cook: thinly sliced beef/lamb, shrimp, fish balls, tofu, mushrooms, napa cabbage, spinach, glass noodles, udon noodles, corn on the cob, lotus root
Instructions
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1
For the mild broth: Combine all mild broth ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
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2
For the spicy broth: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pot. Fry the doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, garlic, and ginger for 3 minutes until very fragrant. Add broth and remaining spicy broth ingredients. Boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Strain out solids if desired.
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3
Set up dipping sauce station: Lay out all sauce ingredients so guests can mix their own. A classic combo is 2 parts sesame paste, 1 part soy sauce, a splash of vinegar, chili oil to taste, minced garlic, and scallions.
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4
Pour broths into a split hot pot (or two separate pots) set over a portable burner in the center of the table. Keep at a gentle boil.
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5
Arrange all raw ingredients on platters around the pot. Cook items in the broth using chopsticks, strainers, or slotted spoons. Thin meats cook in 10-15 seconds, vegetables in 1-2 minutes, noodles in 3-4 minutes.
