How to Hot Pot: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide!

thinly sliced beef

🥗Healthier: lean turkey

💰Cheaper: thinly sliced pork

Lean turkey reduces fat while maintaining protein.

sesame paste

🥗Healthier: sunflower seed butter

💰Cheaper: tahini

Tahini is often more affordable and provides a similar flavor.

chili oil

🥗Healthier: homemade chili oil

💰Cheaper: hot sauce

Hot sauce can add heat without the cost of specialty oils.

fish balls

🥗Healthier: veggie balls

💰Cheaper: tofu cubes

Tofu is often less expensive and provides a plant-based protein.

Introduce the concept of hot pot as a social experience.

Discuss different types of hot pot restaurants and their offerings.

Recommend starting with an all-you-can-eat spot for beginners.

Explain the different types of broths available: spicy Mala, herbal, seafood, and tomato.

Suggest asking staff about custom spice levels and cooling ingredients.

Describe the sauce station and how to create dipping sauces using soy sauce, sesame paste, garlic, chili oil, and green onions.

Advise on ordering ingredients, starting with thinly sliced meats like beef and lamb, and seafood options like shrimp and scallops.

List vegetables to include such as bok choy, napa cabbage, and spinach, and highlight the importance of lotus roots and mushrooms.

Mention the necessity of including tofu and carbs like sweet potato, glass noodles, and rice cakes.

Encourage ordering in rounds to keep the table manageable and prevent waste.

Share cooking times for different ingredients: thinly sliced meats for 10-15 seconds, greens quickly, and heartier vegetables for a few minutes.

Explain that seafood is done when it turns opaque and should not be overcooked.

Instruct to drop noodles into the broth at the end for the most flavorful bites.

Advise using strainers or ladles to keep track of food in the broth.

Discuss hot pot etiquette, including using serving chopsticks for raw ingredients and keeping track of what has been added to the pot.

Remind viewers to communicate and set rules as a group for a better experience.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens