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How to Make Chinese Hot Pot
Chinese Hot Pot is a much celebrated delicacy; it’s served on Chinese New Year’s eve as family members gather around the dining table for a scrumptious, hearty and homey meal.
In this Chinese Hot Pot recipe tutorial, you will learn how to serve this traditional delicacy using an Instant Pot, plus all the ingredients you’ll need.
Hot Pot is especially popular during winter months, especially on cold nights. Nothing beats a pot of hot, simmering soup loaded with assortment of fresh ingredients.
There are numerous versions of soup stock but the most basic Chinese hot pot calls for two simple ingredients: chicken broth and ground white pepper. For my recipe, I chose chicken broth.
Other Recipes You Might Like
- Nabe (Yosenabe/Japanese Hot Pot)
- Creamy Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Instant Pot)
- Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients for Hot Pot Recipe
For the fresh ingredients, you can get really flexible or creative. As a general rule of thumb, the basics are protein (meat and/or seafood), Chinese vegetables such as Napa cabbage and bok choy, fish balls, tofu, and mushrooms. These are the standard ingredients and they are illustrated in the picture above.
Cooking Tips
- To assemble the fresh ingredients, just cut and slice them and then place them on a plate.
- All family members should gather around the dining table with the hot pot in the middle. The fresh ingredients will be placed alongside the hot pot, and every one will be given a bowl and a pair of chopsticks to savor the meal.
- First, you have to bring the soup to a boil, then slowly you add the ingredients. Start with the napa cabbage as the stems take longer to cook, then follow by the meat, seafood, fish balls, tofu and mushrooms.
- Do not cook the fresh ingredients all at once, it will take an average of 2-3 rounds before all fresh ingredients are used up. Slowly, you scoop up the cooked food and soup with a ladle, eat, chat, and then as you finish all the ingredients in the pot, you add more into the soup.
- As the soup continues to simmer in the pot, the flavor develops and it becomes tastier as the meal proceeds. I love adding garlic oil to the hot pot, which adds an earthy nuance to the dish.
- For the dipping sauce, you can just use soy sauce. If you like a bit of heat, you can add cut chilies or chili oil to the soy sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Buy for Hot Pot?
Feel free to buy any thinly sliced meat. Usually, one will also add fish balls, mushrooms, assorted vegetables, eggs, noodles, and tofu.
What Is Hot Pot Broth Made Of?
Mine is made with chicken stock.
How Many Calories?
This recipe has 401 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
This dish is best served as the main dish. For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Chinese Hot Pot
Ingredients
- 4 oz (125g) napa cabbage, sliced
- 12 oz (350g) fish balls
- 6 oz (175g) chicken meat, sliced
- 4 oz (125g) tofu
- 4 oz (125g) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 4 oz (125g) white mushrooms, sliced
- 6 oz (175g) shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 4 oz (125g) salmon fillet, cut into pieces
- 4 oz (125g) scallops
- 4 oz (125g) baby bok choy, sliced
Garlic Oil:
- 1 head garlic (peeled and minced)
- 5 tablespoons cooking oil
Broth:
- 1 box (32 oz. / 1000 g Kitchen Basics® Original Chicken Stock)
- 3 cups water
- 5 dashes ground white pepper
Condiment:
- soy sauce
- Cut chilies (optional)
Instructions
- Arrange the fresh ingredients on plates. Arrange the similar kinds of ingredients on the same plate. See picture above.
- Add the cooking oil in a skillet. When it's heated, make the Garlic Oil by frying the minced garlic until they turn light brown (do not fry until medium brown). Turn off the heat and transfer the garlic oil to a small bowl. Let cool.
- Turn on the Instant Pot and set it to Saute mode, for 30 minutes. Add the Kitchen Basics® Original Chicken Stock, water and McCormick Ground White Pepper. Bring the broth to boil.
- Add the napa cabbage first and cook for 1 minute.
- Add each ingredient into the Instant Pot in the following order, in batches: fish balls, chicken, tofu, mushrooms, shrimp, salmon, scallops and baby bok choy. Do not use up all the ingredients. The ingredients should be cooked in the hot pot in 2 to 3 bathes.
- When the soup comes to a boil, add some garlic oil on top. Stir to mix well. Ladle the ingredients and some soup into serving bowls and serve immediately with the Condiment. After you finish the first round, continue to cook the remaining ingredients in the soup until all ingredients are used up.
Notes
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
this recipe is used in an instant pot….would that be the same as a pressure cooker? I would like to try out new recipes and use my pressure cooker more.
It all depends if your pressure cooker can be used to boil soup, with the cover open. Instant Pot has a Saute function.
yes I believe I can saute, boil, with lid off. I don’t use the pressure cooker that often
Yes, that’s how you do it. Lid off. No need pressure cooking.
thanks rasa for the info
I’m so used to this style of dining. I like it’s slower version of it, Shabu shabu. More indivdualized but still collects everyone together. Thanks for the recipe
Hi Michele, once you get into hot pot, you will love all kinds of hot pot.
Hi Bee,
Thanks for featuring an Asian instant pot recipe.
Can please share more Malaysian style food instant pot recipes like beef rendang, tau yu bak, bak kut teh, etc?
Hi Chef Bob, my recipe is here: https://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-hot-pot/2/. Click on the red “GET RECIPE HERE” and the recipe is listed by ingredients needed and the method.
I learned so much in using hot pot recipes. Look forward in trying every one as well as bring on new recipes.
Thanks Marlene, yes, try this Chinese hot pot, it’s amazing.
Wow thanks I’ve got to try this one.thanks again.
Please do, hot pot is so good!
Yummy
Thanks Arthur.
Sounds like a hearty and delicious pot of great soup. Could also chuck in some “tung hoon”. Might try that tonight in my claypot.
Hi James, yes, glass noodles would be awesome!
How can this be made in a crock pot, or a regular pot?
Hi Sharon, yes you can in a regular pot on a stove top but not crock pot.
Thanks for doing an Instant Pot recipe, Bee !! Are there many Asian recipes that work in the Instant Pot? If there are, please show more Instant Pot recipes for those of us tiring of chili, stew, & hot wings !!
Hi Mark, I am going to make new Asian recipes for the Instant Pot. Please follow this category: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipes/instant-pot-recipes/