FOR YOUR TABLE
MASTERCLASS:
HOT POT
How to make rich and flavourful hot pot at home.
BY GRACE CHEN
Hot pot is probably my favourite Chinese cuisine, besides Cantonese food.
Traditionally hot pot is divided into Southern and Northern styles. Northern style is usually meat focused, typically lamb and beef. The broth is usually clear with a heavy dipping sauce that includes garlic, sesame paste and fermented bean curd. Southern style is referred to as spicy soup from Sichuan. The soup is hot and fragrant, but not oily and the dipping sauce is usually very simple: sesame oil, dry chilli flakes and garlic. Here, I’ m going to share some of my secrets to delicious hot pot at home.
Fresh ingredients are the key
When I ask my Mum to prepare hot pot at home, she usually goes to the market and picks a very good chicken. Yes, the chicken is live! She comes home and cuts the chicken into pieces. The bones and neck are used for making the broth and the rest is saved for our family to eat with hot pot. My favourite ingredients for hot pot are sweet corn( which adds an additional sweetness to the soup), good quality beef and bean curd, which soak up all the flavours from the soup. Because hot pot is such a simple, unique dish, you always want to get the freshest and best-quality ingredients for making the broth as, typically, no additional seasonings are added.
Cooking time is important
Hot pot is a very special cuisine. You get to cook your own food! When making hot pot myself, I always choose a beautiful, marbled beef – my favourite hot pot cuts are boneless short rib and Japanese A5 Wagyu – and slice it thinly. This is very important as thinner slices of meat require less cooking time and hold texture better. However, for vegetarian options such as Chinese cabbage, shiitake mushrooms and tofu, don’ t be afraid to cut them into bigger pieces. They can be put in the broth at the beginning of hot pot and are perfect for slow cooking as they soak up all the delicious flavour from the soup.
Flavoursome broth is a bonus
My all-time favourite choice for a hot pot base is a super-rich tomato soup. It is healthy, tasty and very easy to make.
The secret? Loads of tomato is not enough. I usually add an extra onion and a few sticks of celery to make the soup sweeter. It is like making a tomato vegetable stock. Make the soup a day ahead and allow it to rest for even more flavour. I like the soup slightly thick and rich, so when the vegetables are super soft, I turn off the heat and add a small handful of bonito flakes for extra umami, then let it infuse overnight. The next day I will use a food processor to blend up all the ingredients, which leaves you with a beautifully rich, thick tomato soup perfect for sharing with friends and family.
GRACE CHEN
Grace Chen is the co-owner and head chef of acclaimed Sydney bistro S’ more. Hot pot is one of her favourite comfort foods.
COSTCO CONNECTION
Find fresh, high-quality ingredients for hot pot, including our thinly sliced Pork Belly Yakiniku Item 39537 and Beef Karubi Plate Yakiniku Item 39960, in warehouses.
40 | JUL / AUG 2024 COSTCO CONNECTION