Hot Pot and Sauces
Hot pot is fun and delicious. I love the versatility of the broth, the array of vegetables, the paper-thin variety of proteins, extras like wide noodles or dumplings, and the sauces. You get your own set of dipping sauces for each steaming bite. Originating in Asia, the broth varies from country, region, and local specialty as do the platter of items to quickly cook in the simmering pot. I have had this dish many ways and with varying groups of people, but I find my favorite way is to catch up with a friend over a hot pot for 2.
Hot Pot and Sauces
Category
Main Course
Servings/Yield
2
Author
Helen Park
Hot pot is fun and delicious. I love the versatility of the broth, the array of vegetables, the paper-thin variety of proteins, extras like wide noodles or dumplings, and the sauces. You get your own set of dipping sauces for each steaming bite. Originating in Asia, the broth varies from country, region, and local specialty as do the platter of items to quickly cook in the simmering pot. I have had this dish many ways and with varying groups of people, but I find my favorite way is to catch up with a friend over a hot pot for 2.
For the broth, you want a pot that is a few inches deep. The one I use is great because it’s just the right depth and can work on both gas and induction stove (see link in notes below). Even a large fondue pot can work. I recommend keeping a quart of water handy in case your broth starts simmering away during your leisurely meal so you can top up as needed.
You will also need a gas or electric/induction burner as the centerpiece
Ingredients
2 qts light chicken or vegetable broth
½ bunch leafy greens – like spinach, chrysanthemum, baby Chinese broccoli
4 leaves napa cabbage (or white cabbage), cut into 2” pieces
1/4 (14oz package) medium firm tofu, cut into 6 thick pieces
1 (8oz package) mushrooms – shiitake, maitake, oyster, or a mixture
8 slices sweet potato or carrot, ¼” thick
½ pound thinly sliced lean meat – chicken breast, pork loin, or similar
½ pound thinly sliced richer meat – ribeye, beef brisket, pork belly
1 cup Chili Garlic Sauce
1 cup Sesame Dressing
6 dumplings
12 Korean style sliced rice cakes (or 4 slices of nabe mochi – see notes below)
6 ounces soaked potato starch noodles, cooked udon, or dried ramen
Extras: these are nice to have
Directions
Arrange the meats, vegetables, and extras on platters at the table.
Divide the sauces into 2 small bowls for each person. There should also be an empty small plate in front of each person to hold all of the just cooked items.
In the hot pot pot, bring the broth to a gentle simmer on your burner.
Add ingredients, a little at a time, removing and enjoying them as they are ready and dipping into sauces as you go. In addition to utensils for each person, a small ladel or slotted spoon is great to help fish out cooked items.
Recipe Note
Recipe Notes
Here a link to the pot I use. It comes in 2 sizes and is a great donabe pot for multiple uses (and works on induction stoves as well!). There are hot pot pots that also have a divider to have 2 different broths, a mild and a spicy, at the same time.
You can find even more information on the delicious world of hot pot in our article on Lunar New Year Celebration.
The Broth:
The broth can be chicken stock, homemade vegetable broth, packaged broth (both mild and spicy) from the Asian grocery, and I’ve even had water with a square of kombu dancing around as it simmered and gained flavor from all of the ingredients that get dipped inside.
The Vegetables:
Arrange yourself a big platter of your favorites. I love mushrooms and greens so mine tends to be on the greener side (plus white sweet potato) but carrots, all the leafy greens, beansprouts, tofu, yuba, slices of winter squash, and best in season items, all go well.
The Meats/Seafood:
If serving meat, I recommend a lean and a fatty one. The paper-thin slices can be found at the Asian grocery store (sometimes labeled for Shabu Shabu) or you can ask your butcher, or slice yourself, as thin as you can. Small tip, prior to slicing, place your meat in the freezer to firm up the meat and get thinner slices. The thin and pretty rolls of shaved meats at the store may be in the frozen section as they are lightly frozen to get that pretty, curled shape. Bring them to the table last as they defrost in minutes and will be easier to handle while frozen.
For seafood, shrimp, scallop, squid, and small clams tend to be easier than filets of fish as they are less fragile.
You can also do a combination of meats and seafood.
The Extras:
I like to have some extra things like sliced rice cake and little dumplings that cook well poached and served with the sauces. There are many varieties. The colored, cylinder shaped, rice cakes in the picture have cheese inside.
Korean Style sliced rice cakes can be found in Asian grocery stores (typically in the refrigerated or frozen section). Nabe mochi is a small sheet of mochi that is meant for broth dishes. It is typically featurds in Japanese stores for the New Year.
For noodles, you can get packages of potato starch noodles or vermicelli that you can presoak to soften and dip as you go. I love their soft and chewy texture and they are another way to enjoy the sauces. Ramen and udon noodles work well too. Small tip for udon noodles, the frozen kind is usually the best one from the store.
The Sauces:
When you go to an all you can eat type of hotpot restaurant, you can find a whole bar full of sauces, condiments, and toppings. In general, a spicy and a not spicy are a good rule of thumb to have in front of you.
Variations & Ideas
Hot pot can be fun for large groups as well – you will need a burner/pot/broth setup for each 3-4 people so everyone can reach easily. The hot pot can also be arranged with all ingredients inside and brought to the table to cook (instead of dipping in little by little) and picking and ladling along as the glorious display empties.
In addition to noodles (both during and at the end), rice is a popular ending to hot pot. As the liquid reduces to about half, add cooked rice and warm through, maybe with a cracked egg, for a risotto like finish with bits and flavors from the flavorful broth.
Questions? Contact helen@laboiteny.com
