How to Do the Perfect Hot Pot

A hot pot is a big winter treat. It’s also an excellent meal to bond over since it’s quick and warm, and everything is cooked on the table. If you haven’t tried a hot pot yet, you’re missing out on a unique experience. We’ll get you acquainted with all the nuances of it by the end of this blog.

What is a Chinese Hot Pot?

The Chinese hot pot is a highly interactive way to dine. Diners sit around a simmering pot of broth and choose a number of ingredients. The ingredients, meat, corn, meatballs, seafood, tofu, mushrooms or starch options are cut very thin so they cook in 4-5 minutes.

Diners add their desired ingredients to the broth and let them cook, retrieving them with wire ladles once they’re done. Different dipping sauces can be used to modify flavors as well. China is regarded as the home of hot pot and this way of dining is a cold-weather staple there. The restaurants range from casual to upscale with some even having conveyor belts for rotating ingredients.

Equipment You Need for the Perfect Hot Pot

Pot

Chinese stainless steel hot pots are ideal for making hot pots due to their shape and depth. The depth should be enough to hold a good amount of ingredients and broth, but it shouldn’t be so deep that the ingredients are hard to retrieve. Also, make sure the steel isn’t too thick so the ingredients cook quickly.

Heat source

The second most important thing you need is a burner. You can either get your hands on a tabletop gas burner, an electric burner or invest in a hot pot set that comes with a heating element. We suggest going with the latter since the pot is usually made up of thin stainless steel and the built-in burner is good enough to heat it quickly. 

Chopsticks

Chopsticks are an optional accessory but since you’re doing it the Chinese way, we suggest getting used to them. Otherwise, you can use a simple soup spoon and fork.

Wire ladles

You’ll need a dedicated wire ladle to retrieve ingredients from the pot or it’ll be frustrating and messy. A ladle will allow you to retrieve noodles, meat, veggies and seafood without making you want to wrestle the pot.

The Secret to Making the Perfect Broth

There are a LOT of variations when it comes to the hot pot broth. Some people like their broth plain and simple, with chicken, mushrooms, ginger and sliced scallions. Others like it mildly spicy and the rest prefer it super hot. Hot pot restaurants in the US offer different broth flavors, ranging from Szechuan, tomato-based broths to fiery, oily broths. 

When you’re making it at home, we suggest starting simple and keeping room to add spices later on. Once you’re experienced enough, you can experiment with more broth mixes. You can also get your hands on packaged hot pot soup mixes which makes the process a whole lot easier. 

How to Strike a Balance With the Ingredients

A perfect hot pot is one in which the ingredients complement each other. A rule of thumb is to include all those ingredients that you would like in your soup — perhaps mushrooms, corn, seafood, lamb meatballs or chicken breast. You can also add noodles, tofu, leafy greens, mushrooms, bean threads, etc. 

The Takeaway

We’ve talked about the ingredients and equipment and how you can synergize the two for a perfect experience. Another tip is to make your broth in bulk so you can keep refilling the pot until everybody on the table is full. Make sure to have ample ingredients in the mix as well.