Sichuan Hot Pot

Name: Sichuan Hot Pot
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 250g Beef Tallow; 60g Dried Sichuan Chilies, facing-heaven if available; cut into segments; seeds shaken out; 2 tbsp Sichuan Peppercorns; 6 tbsp Pixian Doubanjiang, broad bean chili paste; 1 tbsp Fermented Black Beans, douchi; rinsed and roughly chopped; 50g Ginger, sliced; 1 heads of Garlic, halved horizontally; 4 Scallions, cut into 5 cm lengths; 1 tbsp Rock Sugar; 2 Star Anises; 2 Cinnamon Stick (Cassia)s, about 5 cm each; 3 Bay Leaves; 4 Cloves; 1 pods of Tsaoko (Black Cardamom), lightly cracked; 1 tsp Fennel Seeds; 3 tbsp Shaoxing Wine; 3 tbsp Light Soy Sauce; 3 l Water; 200ml Toasted Sesame Oil; 8 Garlic Cloves, finely minced; 1 bunches of Cilantro, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds; 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce; 1 tbsp Chinkiang Black Vinegar; 400g Beef (Ribeye or Short Plate), well-marbled; thinly sliced; 400g Lamb, shoulder or leg; thinly sliced; 300g Beef Tripe, mao du; cleaned and sliced; 300g Fresh Shrimp, peeled and deveined; 300g Fish Balls, or Shrimp Balls; 400g Tofu (Firm), cut into bite-size cubes

This Sichuan hot pot delivers a bold, numbing and deeply savory broth studded with fragrant spices and a coat of beef fat — perfect for communal cooking. Build a rich, chili-forward base, then dunk a parade of thinly sliced meats, seafood, mushrooms and vegetables to your liking. Serve with a tangy, garlicky dipping sauce and plenty of fresh herbs for balance.

This Sichuan hot pot delivers a bold, numbing and deeply savory broth studded with fragrant spices and a coat of beef fat — perfec... Show more

Traditional Chinese Recipe

Health Grade

B · Healthy

Rating

4.5

Time

1 hr40 min

Price

9,15 €

Calories

1851 kcal

healthy

one pot

high protein

low carb

Method

Prep the vegetables

If the Glass Noodles are dried, soak them in warm water until pliable, about 10 minutes; if the Wood Ear Mushrooms are dried, soak them until fully expanded, about 20 minutes. Drain both well. Cut the Tofu Skin into strips, cube the Tofu (Firm), slice the Lotus Root and Potatoes very thinly, tear the Napa Cabbage into large pieces, trim the Spinach, halve the Shiitake Mushrooms, and trim the Enoki Mushroom. Set everything on platters so it is ready to cook.

Slice the proteins

If the Beef and Lamb are soft, chill them in the freezer for 20 minutes until the outside is firm but not frozen solid. Slice both very thinly against the grain. Clean the Beef Tripe, then cut it into thin strips. Peel and devein the Fresh Shrimp, and keep the Fish Balls cold on a tray until serving.

Build the mala base

Set a large heavy pot over medium-low heat and melt the Beef Tallow. While it melts, cut the Dried Sichuan Chilies into segments and shake out most of the seeds, slice the Ginger, halve the Garlic horizontally, cut the Scallion into 5 cm lengths, and rinse and roughly chop the Fermented Black Beans. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallion to the pot and stir for a minute or two, then add the chilies, Sichuan Peppercorns, Pixian Doubanjiang, Rock Sugar, Star Anise, Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Cloves, Tsaoko, and Fennel Seeds. Keep stirring for 8 minutes until the oil turns a deep brick red and the kitchen smells intensely fragrant; keep the heat low so the chilies and spices don't scorch.

Simmer the broth

Pour in the Shaoxing Wine and Light Soy Sauce, then add all of the Water. Bring the pot to a boil, season with the Fine Salt, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes so the spices perfume the broth and the color deepens. Taste carefully and adjust the salt if needed, keeping the broth at a lively but not wild bubble.

Mix the sauce

In a small bowl, stir together the Toasted Sesame Oil, Garlic Clove, Cilantro, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Chinkiang Black Vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a splash of light soy sauce until the garlic is evenly distributed. Taste and add a little more vinegar if you want it brighter, or a little more salt if you want it rounder.

Cook and serve

Keep the pot at a gentle simmer and cook straight from it, adding ingredients in small batches. Cook the firmer vegetables first: potatoes and lotus root for 3-5 minutes, napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms for 2-3 minutes, then tofu, tofu skin, and glass noodles for 1-3 minutes. Add the enoki mushroom and spinach at the very end for just 30-60 seconds until wilted. Swish in the beef and lamb for 10-20 seconds per slice, blanch the beef tripe for 30-60 seconds until crisp-tender, and cook the fresh shrimp for about 2 minutes and the fish balls until hot through, about 3-4 minutes. Serve everything right away with the dipping sauce on the side, and keep adding ingredients in small batches so the broth stays bubbling.