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Chinese Hot Pot

By Diana Yen, @diana_yen_

Ingredients

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 20–25 minutes (tabletop cooking)

A comforting and communal meal, this mild hot pot features a fragrant broth infused with ginger, garlic, and scallions. Thinly sliced meats, fresh vegetables, seafood, and noodles are gently cooked at the table, letting their natural flavors shine. Accompanied by customizable dipping sauces, this hot pot transforms simple ingredients into a warm, shared experience that is elegant yet effortless.

Broth
  • 10 cups chicken stock (boxed, Better Than Bouillon, or homemade), plus more to replenish as needed
  • 3 slices fresh ginger
  • 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Meats & Seafood
  • ½ lb thinly sliced beef (ribeye or brisket)
  • ½ lb thinly sliced lamb (shoulder or leg)
  • ¾ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined ¾
  • lb white fish fillets, cut into bite-size pieces (tilapia, cod, or sea bass)
  • Optional: pre-cooked meat or seafood balls

Vegetables & Tofu
  • 1 large bunch (about 1¼ lb) napa cabbage, chopped
  • 1 large bunch (about ¾ lb) baby bok choy, halved
  • 10 oz mushrooms (shiitake, enoki, or king oyster), sliced
  • 1 cup (about ½ lb) thinly sliced lotus root or taro
  • 1 (14 oz) block firm tofu, cubed

Noodles & Starches
  • 12 oz thin rice noodles or wheat noodles (rice noodles pre-soaked, wheat noodles pre-cooked)
  • Optional: dumplings or rice cakes

Dipping Sauces
  • (Mix & Match) Sesame paste or peanut sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Sha Cha (Chinese BBQ) sauce
  • Rice vinegar or Chinese black vinegar
  • Minced garlic
  • Chopped scallions
  • Chopped cilantro

Special Equipment
  • 4-qt Dutch oven or medium pot, portable gas stove or induction burner (required for tabletop cooking)

Procedure

Combine chicken stock, ginger, garlic, scallions, and salt in your pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat on the stovetop, tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed. Carefully transfer the pot to the tabletop over a portable gas or induction burner, keeping it at a gentle simmer for cooking.

Arrange sliced meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and noodles on platters for easy access. Add firm vegetables, roots, and tofu first, letting them cook in the fragrant broth. Slide thinly sliced meats, shrimp, and white fish into the hot liquid, removing each piece as soon as it is cooked through. Noodles and dumplings can be added last to soak up the broth. Keep extra hot broth or water on the stovetop to top up the pot as needed during the meal.

Set out dipping sauces for each diner to mix their own bowls. Enjoy the meal slowly, sharing ingredients and conversation around the pot, savoring both the food and the communal experience.


Tips
  • Leftover broth can be strained and stored for soups or cooking rice, adding a delicate, savory flavor.
  • Vegetables, tofu, and sauces can be prepped ahead to streamline serving.
  • Thinly sliced meat is widely available at Asian grocery stores, making preparation quick and easy. If meat is purchased frozen, it can be cooked directly in the pot without thawing ahead of time.