Chinese spicy hotpot home cook recipe

This is blog post on making Chinese spicy hotpot (麻辣火锅 málà hǔoguō）home cook recipe. It originates from Sichuan province in China. I just find the flavors are just perfect as a winter warmer. Especially when one just needs a bit of warmth and spice in the cold weather. It’s cheese fondue Asian style.

It is possible to make this broth in clear and spicy broth by having a separation in the hotpot simmering pot. Chinese spicy hotpot is very easy to make as once the broth is made. If using a clear broth just use clear vegetable or chicken stock minus the spicy base ingredients.The rest of the preparation it getting the raw ingredients ready to cook in the pot. The cooking is done while eating. It makes a great sharing social dish.

For my other Chinese recipe have a look at my water bamboo and pak choi stir fry and potato strips stir fry.

Chinese spicy hotpot

Recipes serves 4

Equipment

• pot preferable with a separation
• tabletop camping/ electric stove

Ingredients

For Soup broth

• 1 tbsp chilli bean paste I use Lee kum kee
• 1 liter water or vegetable or chicken stock
• 5 dried shitake mushrooms
• 3-star anise
• 1 dried cinnamon
• 3 stalks spring onion
• 1 tbsp chilli oil or rapseed oil
• 2-3 dried tangerine peel
• 1 cube vegetable stock
• 2.5 cm peeled fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 small handful dried goji berries (optional)

Cooking ingredients

• 1 box ready sliced lamb or beef or just finely sliced lamb or beef rump
• One small Chinese cabbage
• 1 handful fried tofu Available in Chinese grocers
• 250 grams ready made fish balls
• 100 grams Enoki mushroom
• 100 grams baby sweetcorn
• 1-2 small packets dried rice vermicelli

Dipping sauces

• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 egg
• one stalk spring onion
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped
• one tsp sesame oil
• 1 Medium egg

Vinegar, chilli and soy dipping sauce

• 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• One tsp reduced-salt soy sauce
• 1 small fresh red chili thinly sliced

Instructions on cooking chinese spicy hotpot

Prepare the broth

• In a pot heat up the chili oil, and vegetable stock. Once the broth start boiling add the rest of the soup broth ingredients. Turn down the heat. You can prepare the broth while preparing the ingredients for hot pot and dipping sauces. Simmer on the ordinary stove rather than the portable, transfer to the dining table when ready to start eating.

Serving ideas

• In separate dishes lay the cooking ingredients by group or separate dishes. Like the cold meat and seafood together and the vegetables in another dish. Prepare and mix together the peanut and egg dipping sauce and the balsamic, chopped chili and soy sauce.

Ingredients