A spicy hot pot warms you up nicely. It’s quick and easy to make. Generous amounts of ginger and garlic may help ward off the flu.
In China, hot pot is a shared meal for a larger group. A pot of seasoned broth simmers in the middle of the table, and everyone cooks their own thin slices of meat, vegetables and noodles in it. This recipe is an everyday take on the same idea: everything cooks in one pot, and all you need at the table are bowls and chopsticks.
The broth gets its flavor from Chinese five-spice powder, ginger, garlic and whole black peppercorns. Soy sauce adds saltiness, and cane sugar softens the sharpest edges. Everyone adds their own heat with chili paste, so the same pot works for those who don’t care for spicy food.
The browned bits belong in the broth
The most important trick in this recipe is a small one, and easy to skip. Once the pork strips are browned (the Maillard reaction), a layer of brown residue and fat is left on the bottom of the pan. It’s packed with flavor, so don’t send it down the sink.
Pour a cup of hot broth into the pan and scrape the bottom clean with a spatula. The broth loosens the browned bits, and all that roasted flavor ends up in the pot. In French cooking this is called deglazing, and it works just as well in Asian soups.
How to make an easy hot pot
It takes about half an hour to make, after which the soup rests under the lid for 15 minutes. During that time, the spices release their flavor into the broth.
This spicy pot makes a warming weeknight dinner, especially in winter, when you crave something quick and full of spice.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it keep?
A couple of days in a covered container in the fridge. The noodles do soften during storage, though.
Can I make it ahead?
You can make the broth the day before. Brown the pork and cook the noodles just before serving.
Can I freeze this dish?
Not recommended. The noodles turn mushy.
What can I use instead of pork?
Chicken breast and firm tofu both work well. Cut them into strips the same size as the pork.
What wine goes with hot pot?
Chili and ginger call for a fresh, fruity white wine. An off-dry Riesling is a good choice, as a touch of sweetness tames the chili heat. For a red, try a light, stainless steel–aged Pinot Noir served well chilled.
Learn more about the topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_pot
Hot pot
Ingredients
- 200 g pork loin
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 80 g noodles
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp five-spice powder
- 20 whole black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- 1 whole garlic bulb
- 1 l water
- 1 tbsp hot chili paste to taste, on top of each serving
Instructions
- Bring 1 liter of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the ginger, five-spice powder, peppercorns, soy sauce and cane sugar. Cut a whole garlic bulb in half with a knife and add it to the pan as is. Let the broth simmer over low heat while you prepare the pork.
- Cut the pork into thin strips. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the strips over high heat (about 3–4 min). Transfer the pork to the saucepan.
- Pour a cup of hot broth from the saucepan into the frying pan and scrape the browned bits off the bottom with a spatula. Pour the liquid back into the saucepan.
- Add the noodles and cook for a couple of minutes, as they keep cooking while the soup rests. The thinly sliced pork cooks through in this time too.
- Remove the pan from the heat, cover with a lid and let rest for about 15 minutes.
- Ladle into bowls and finish with chili paste to taste.
Notes
- Brown the pork in two batches if needed. An overcrowded pan cools down, and the meat starts to stew in its own juices.
- Don’t leave the browned bits in the pan. Rinse them into the pot with broth, as they give the soup its deepest flavor.
- The noodles keep cooking while the soup rests, so cook them a little less than the package directs.
- Five-spice blends vary in strength. Taste the broth before adding the noodles.
- You can fish out the peppercorns and garlic halves before serving.
- Chicken breast or firm tofu work in place of pork, and regular sugar in place of cane sugar.
Nutrition
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