Traditional Chinese Hot Pot
(Courtesy: Yuhong Sun)
1 lb beef flank*
4” knob fresh ginger (1 ounce or ¼ cup sliced)
5 cloves garlic
2 green onions
2 bay leaves
2 star anise
3-4 dried hot peppers to taste
1 onion
Dipping sauce:
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Pinch of black pepper
- 2 tbsp chili sauce (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Ingredients to cook in the hot pot: Typical hot pot ingredients include thinly sliced meat, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, vermicelli, sliced potatoes, dumplings, tofu, small meatballs and seafood but feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand.
Put beef and ginger in water. Bring to a boil and cook until the blood comes out, about 15 minutes. Drain water and cut the beef into 2” chunks.
Place meat and ginger in an Instant Pot. Add garlic, green onions, bay leaves, anise, hot peppers and onion. Cook for one hour.**
While broth is cooking, assemble individual bowls of dipping sauce for each person.
Strain and pour broth into an electric hot pot (or hot plate topped with heatproof container) that has been placed on the table within easy reach of all diners (Use two or more pots if needed). Adjust heat to keep the broth at a simmer.
Using chopsticks or other utensils, drop pieces of food into the hot pot to cook. Once the item is cooked, use chopsticks or a small strainer to remove items to your plate. Season with dipping sauce, if desired. Separate utensils are recommended for handling raw and cooked food.
Add additional hot water as needed.
The broth is usually strained and consumed after everyone is done eating or kept for use in a future meal. It can be frozen for up to a year.
Serve this with pork fried rice, if desired.
*Beef, pork or chicken marrow bones can be substituted for flank
**If preferred, stock can also be simmered, covered, on the stove over low heat for 6 hours or in a slow cooker on low for 12 hours.
Hack: Do you know that you can freeze fresh ginger root? Grating it in its frozen state is easier than grating it fresh and, if you choose organic ginger, you don’t have to peel it! Simply place in a sealed freezer bag or container and pop it in the freezer.
Hack: Chop leftover green onions and freeze in a sealable freezer bag or container for future use. While they won’t retain the crispness that would make them suitable for salads or garnish, they will be fine for cooking.
Hack: For more instructional videos for making traditional Chinese cuisine, visit Yuhong’s Country Kitchen on YouTube!
