User:Csun027 - Stage One Wiki

Fancy Hot Pot

Hot pot

Hot pot, less commonly Chinese fondue or steamboat, refers to several East Asian varieties of stew, consisting of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, and seafood. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. In many areas, hot pot meals are often eaten in the winter.

The Technique and Etiquette of Eating Hot Pot

The Tools

Tools used are simple. Basically other than the Hot Pot, you will need a pair of cooking chopsticks and a small perforated ladle.

The ladle can be used to cook small items that will potentially be lost in the broth, for example thin sliced meat. With the food item in the ladle, dip it into the boiling broth.

Feel free to bob the ladle up and down to ensure it cooks thoroughly. When retrieving, let the broth drain properly before taking the ladle out to prevent spilling.

Cooking the Food

You may throw larger items into the pot for yourself and the rest of your table at any time.

However, for certain seafood like live prawns, clams and abalone, which takes longer to be cooked, it is generally a good etiquette to ask your Hot Pot companions first. They may want to scoop some food out of the pot before you place them in.

The time waiting for your food to be cooked is not wasted during your Hot Pot meals. It is an excellent time to interact with your families and friends.

Tip

The Art of cooking your food at a Hot Pot involves making sure you get to taste the freshest and meats, seafood and vegetables possible.

Grasping the cooking time is key, ensuring that your food is not overcooked, which will make your meats too tough and your vegetables soggy.

Meat that is sliced thinly requires a very short cooking time. Using the chopstick or ladle, dip the meat in the boiling soup for approximately 20-30 seconds and take it out just as the last bit of pinkness leaves the meat.

Seafood requires a longer time to cook. Overcooking them will leaves u a tough texture and lose the natural flavour, so you may need to check on them often in the pot.

Ann's Contact Details

• Email: ann @ cs.auckland.ac.nz
• Phone: 373-7599 Ext 84947
• Room: 594, 5th Floor of the Computer Science extension to the Maths and Physics Building (Building 303S)
• Office Hours: Open door policy - please feel free to visit any time you like

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This page was last modified 03:07, 20 August 2010.

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