hot pot

Hot pot is a delicious and popular Chinese dish where diners cook a variety of ingredients in a simmering broth right at the table. Here's a basic hot pot recipe to get you started:

Ingredients:

- 1 liter (4 cups) chicken or vegetable broth

- 2 tablespoons soy sauce

- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- a 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced

- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

- Assortment of hot pot ingredients (choose from the following):

  - Thinly sliced beef or pork

  - Shrimp or other seafood

  - Tofu, cubed

  - Napa cabbage, sliced

  - Chinese mushrooms, soaked and sliced

  - Bean sprouts

  - Carrots, thinly sliced

  - Baby bok choy, halved

  - Glass noodles or rice noodles

- Dipping sauce (optional):

  - Soy sauce

  - Sesame oil

  - Chili oil or paste

  - Chopped green onions

  - Minced garlic

Instructions:

1. In a large pot or a hot pot cooker, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sliced ginger, and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

2. Add the chicken or vegetable broth to the pot, followed by the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine or dry sherry. Stir well to combine the flavors.

3. Bring the broth to a simmer and let it cook for about 5-10 minutes to infuse the flavors.

4. Arrange the hot pot ingredients on a platter for easy access.

5. Place the hot pot cooker or pot with the simmering broth on the table.

6. Each diner can then pick their desired ingredients and cook them in the simmering broth. The cooking time will vary depending on the ingredients, but generally, it takes just a few minutes.

7. Once cooked, remove the ingredients from the broth and dip them in your preferred dipping sauce, if desired.

8. Enjoy the delicious hot pot and repeat the process with more ingredients until you're satisfied.

Note: You can customize the hot pot ingredients according to your preference. Feel free to add or substitute any ingredients you like. Additionally, you can also offer a variety of dipping sauces to enhance the flavors further.

Remember to exercise caution when cooking with hot broth at the table and make sure everyone is aware of the hot pot's heat. Enjoy your hot pot experience.