Martha Stone - Chinese Hotpots: Simple and Delicious Authentic Chinese Hot Pot Recipes

Chinese Hotpots

Simple and Delicious AuthenticChinese Hot Pot Recipes

Copyright 2014 MarthaStone

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Martha Stone is a chef and alsocookbook writer. She was born and raised in Idaho where she spentmost of her life growing up. Growing up in the country taught herhow to appreciate and also use fresh ingredients in her cooking.This love for using the freshest ingredients turned into a passionfor cooking. Martha loves to teach others how to cook and she lovesevery aspect of cooking from preparing the dish to smelling itcooking and sharing it with friends.

Martha eventually moved to California and metthe love of her life. She settled down and has two children. She isa stay at home mom and involves her children in her cooking as muchas possible. Martha decided to start writing cookbooks so that shecould share her love for food and cooking with everyone else.

You can also check out my blog at: http://martha-stone.blogspot.com

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With a history of more than a thousand years,the hot pot is a dish that is quite representative of the Asianculture, especially the Chinese. It is an easy, one-cook comfortfood that can be made with almost any type of ingredient at hand.Vegetables, meat, seafood the possibilities are almostendless!
Adapting the traditional Mongolian style of hotpot cooking, theChinese were the first people to adapt practice, tweaking it andmaking it their own by adding local ingredients. The variationsthat popped up across China were reflective of the local cuisine ofthe particular region. For example, spicier hotpots are found inthe southwestern part of China. Chili is often added into the brothin this region, unlike in the north, where the hotpot broth tendsto be milder in taste. On the other hand, the Chongqing hotpot,famous in the northern mainland region, uses a lot of Sichuanpepper and spices. Decidedly spicier than the average hotpot, theChongqing style makes use of the plentiful Sichuan peppers in theregion.

Invest in good hotpot cookware to ensure thatyour dishes come out great every time. Look for one with a roundedbottom and domed lid as this will be quite efficient indistributing heat evenly through the ingredients.
Clay is the traditional material used for most hotpots, but thereare also ones now that are made of enameled cast-iron. The lattertype is easier to find but quality-wise, it does not retain heat asefficiently as the clay ones.

Chinese hotpots are defined by theingredients used, revealing the locality that it comes from. Theuse of the freshest available ingredients is also very important inmaking a delicious hotpot. Mainland China makes use of meats andvegetables, while those along the coast would make use of thebountiful fishes and other seafood.
The stock itself can be as simple as a pot of water seasoned withsalt and pepper, or made more complex with the addition of spicesand seasonings. Listed below are some of the common ingredientsused in traditional hotpot dishes:

Beef, pork, chicken, lamb, or goat

Whatever type of meat you choose, it isimportant to slice the meat as thinly as possible. Slice the meatjust before using for best flavor.

Offal, ear, and innards

Beef and pork innards are the more commonlyused for hotpots. When using them, make sure you clean them well toget rid of the gamey taste.

Blood tofu

Coagulated blood of pork or duck, blood tofuis a common food in Chinese cuisine. Blood tofu is never eatenalone, but rather used in hotpots, soups, or with stir-frieddishes.

Fish, prawns, cuttlefish, squid, crab, andoctopus

When buying fresh fish or seafood, look atthe eyes. They should be bright and clear, with no hint ofdullness. The smell should also be salty, almost like theocean.

Scallops, clams, and mussels

Buy only fresh ones. Make sure that theshells are tightly closed when buying them this indicates thatthe shells are still alive. When they are cooked, the shells shouldopen slightly. Throw out any that remains closed.

Geoduck

A type of large, edible, saltwater clam, thegeoduck is a popular ingredient in Chinese hotpots. It has astrong, savory flavor with a slightly crunchy texture.

Beef balls, fish balls, shrimp balls,etc.

Meat balls made from a variety of protein area popular ingredient in hotpots. You can buy them in frozen packsfrom most Asian or Chinese groceries. Some meatballs may come infun shapes such as animal faces; you may use them or thetraditional, round shape.

Wontons and dumplings

Typically made with minced meat and wrappedin thin, flour-based casing, wontons and dumplings are otherpopular ingredients for hotpots. While you may buy them alreadymade, it is much better to make them by hand. Its fairly easy tomake and you can even do them in advance simply freeze in anairtight container until you are ready to use.

Tofu

Made from coagulated soybean curds, tofu is apopular ingredient in Chinese cuisine. It has several varieties -soft tofu, firm, tofu and deep-fried ones. For hotpots, firm andfried tofu are ideal as they can stand up better to the hotstock.

Almost any kind of vegetable may be used forhotpots. When using hardy vegetables such as carrots or potatoes,make sure that you cut them into pieces to ensure an evencooking.

Napa cabbage

Commonly referred to as Chinese cabbageoutside of Asian, this type of leafy greens is also an importantsymbol in Chinese culture. Signifying luck, Napa cabbage is oftenused as decorative elements in vases and other similar things. Napacabbage has huge, light green leaves and a very light and delicatetaste. Napa cabbage may be eaten raw often as a vegetable wrap ofsorts and are also a staple hotpot ingredient.

Bok choy

A variety of Chinese cabbage, bok choy issmaller and has a white stalk with dark green leaves. It has astronger flavor than Napa cabbage and has a crunchier texture,too.

Spinach, lettuce and other greens

Greens are a staple of any hotpot dish. Notonly do they add color, they are also good for adding texture tothe dish. Most greens are added near the end of cooking time ordipped briefly into the burbling sock to prevent it from wiltingtoo much.