Chinese Hot Pot

4.75 from 27 votes

Looking for a fun and interactive meal? Try my Chinese hot pot recipe! With a delicious broth filled with a variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables, this comforting dish, with just 4 simple steps, is perfect for enjoying with family and friends during celebrations or cozy dinners at home.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Chicken, Seafood, Vegetables

Cuisine: Chinese Recipes

Keyword: Chinese Hot Pot

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

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:

2 cubes (20g) chicken stock
3 cups water
5 dashes ground white pepper

Condiment:

soy sauce
chili pepper optional

Instructions

Arrange the fresh ingredients on plates, grouping similar kinds together. Heat cooking oil in a skillet. Once hot, fry minced garlic until it turns light brown (avoid frying until medium brown). Turn off the heat and transfer the garlic oil to a small bowl. Allow it to cool before use.
Add chicken stock cubes, water, and ground white pepper to a pot. Bring the broth to a boil.
Add the Napa cabbage first and cook for 1 minute.
Add each ingredient to the pot in batches: fish balls, chicken, tofu, mushrooms, shrimp, salmon, scallops, and baby bok choy. Cook in 2 to 3 batches. Once the soup boils, drizzle garlic oil on top and stir. Serve the cooked ingredients with some soup in bowls immediately with condiments. Continue cooking the remaining ingredients in the soup until everything is used up.

Notes

To assemble the fresh ingredients, simply cut and slice them, then arrange them on a plate.

All family members should gather around the dining table with the hot pot in the center. Fresh ingredients will be placed alongside the hot pot, and everyone will be given a bowl and a pair of chopsticks to enjoy the meal.

Start with ingredients that take longer to cook, like root vegetables or tougher cuts of meat, before adding quicker-cooking items like seafood or leafy greens.

Cook your ingredients in small batches to keep the broth at the perfect temperature and avoid overcrowding the pot.

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.

Nutrition