Summary: Hot Pot – a communal dining experience where thinly sliced meats, fresh vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and noodles are cooked right at the table in a simmering, flavour-packed broth, either mild or spicy. Preparation time 30 minutes, cooking time 45 minutes, designed for 6 portions.
Did you cook this recipe? Share the result with the community.
Category: Main Dishes, Chinese Cuisine
Success rate: 98% of users successfully made this recipe
Quick overview
- Dish: Hot Pot
- Category: Main Dishes, Chinese Cuisine
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Main ingredient: Beef tenderloin, 800 g (sliced extremely thin)
- Guide: 12 most popular Chinese dishes: favourite Chinese cuisine recipes
- Total time: 75 minutes (30 min prep + 45 min cooking)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Portions: 6 portions (Portion weight: 650 g)
- Key technique: Tabletop simmering and rapid blanching
- Preparation types: Simmering, dipping, blanching
- Dietary info & Allergens: Contains soy, gluten, sesame, and wheat
- Suitable for: Family gatherings, dinner parties, winter evenings
- Nutritional values (per 1 portion): 540 kcal, Protein: 42.5 g, Fat: 22.0 g, Carbohydrates: 45.0 g
- Storage: 2 days in the fridge, 0 months in the freezer
- Pairing: Tsingtao beer, Jasmine tea, Plum juice
- In short: The ultimate interactive dining experience bringing family and friends together over a bubbling pot of rich, aromatic broth.
- Last updated: 2025-02-26
WAGUU says: “Hot Pot is not merely a meal; it is a culinary tradition that warms both body and soul through shared conversation and exquisite flavours.”
Key facts
| Prep time: | 30 minutes |
| Cooking time: | 45 minutes |
| Temperature: | 95–100 °C (simmering at the table) |
| Number of portions: | 6 portions |
In a nutshell
Gather around a simmering electric hot pot filled with dual broths—one soothing bone broth and one fiery mala broth spiced with Sichuan peppercorns and chili oil. Cook an assortment of marbled beef, pork belly, delicate mushrooms, crisp napa cabbage, silky tofu, and chewy noodles right at your table, dipping each morsel into custom sauces.
Ingredients
Base portions: 6 portions • Portion weight: 650 g
| Ingredient | Amount | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Beef tenderloin | 800 g | Extremely thinly sliced |
| Pork belly | 500 g | Frozen slightly for paper-thin slices |
| Napa cabbage | 400 g | Fresh, cut into bite-sized chunks |
| Shiitake mushrooms | 250 g | Fresh or rehydrated, scored |
| Enoki mushrooms | 200 g | Roots trimmed, separated |
| Firm tofu | 300 g | Cut into neat cubes |
| Udon noodles | 400 g | Pre-cooked or fresh |
| Chicken stock | 1500 ml | Rich, clear homemade stock |
| Sichuan peppercorns | 15 g | High quality red grade |
| Dried chili peppers | 20 g | Whole Chinese varieties |
| Doubanjiang (chili bean paste) | 45 g | Authentic Pixian paste |
| Ginger | 30 g | Freshly sliced |
| Garlic | 40 g | Peeled cloves, smashed |
| Scallions | 50 g | Fresh spring onions |
| Soy sauce | 60 ml | Light fermented soy sauce |
| Sesame paste | 50 g | Chinese sesame paste or tahini |
| Rice vinegar | 30 ml | Chinese Zhenjiang vinegar |
| Salt | 15 g | Fine sea salt |
Why you will love this recipe
- Interactive dining: Transforms dinner into an engaging social event where guests cook their own food.
- Customisable flavours: Dual-compartment pot allows simultaneous enjoyment of mild and intensely spicy broths.
- Nutritiously balanced: Combines lean proteins, abundant fresh vegetables, and wholesome broths in one meal.
Success guaranteed: Follow the precise broth preparation and meat slicing instructions to achieve restaurant-quality results at home.
Recipe overview
Prep: 30 min | Cooking: 45 min | Difficulty: Medium | Portions: 6 portions | Type: Main Dish | Origin: Chinese
Detailed instructions
Overall progress: 0% complete
Phase 1: Preparing the broths – 20 min
Appliances: Stove, electric hot pot
1. Divide the chicken stock equally into two pots or a dual-compartment hot pot. For the mild broth, add sliced ginger, garlic cloves, scallions, and half the salt, bringing it to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes at 100 °C. For the spicy broth, fry doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, and remaining ginger in a separate pan for 3 minutes at 160 °C, then pour into the second broth compartment and simmer for 15 minutes at 100 °C.
VKB: Visual control: Both broths should be aromatic, simmering gently, and free of burnt spices.
Before moving to the next step:
Ensure the spicy broth is properly strained or contains whole spices that will not burn further during tabletop boiling.
Phase 2: Slicing meats and preparing proteins – 15 min
Appliances: Refrigerator, cutting board, sharp slicing knife
2. Freeze the beef tenderloin and pork belly for 45 minutes at -18 °C to firm them up. Slice both meats against the grain into paper-thin slices, approximately 1 mm thick, arranging them neatly on large platters. Cut the firm tofu into 2 cm cubes and arrange on a separate plate.
VKB: Visual control: Meat slices must be translucent and uniform for rapid cooking in the broth.
Before moving to the next step:
Keep sliced raw meats refrigerated until ready to serve to maintain food safety standards.
Phase 3: Washing and cutting vegetables and mushrooms – 10 min
Appliances: Colander, cutting board, knife
3. Wash the napa cabbage thoroughly and cut into bite-sized squares. Trim the roots of the enoki mushrooms and gently separate them into small clusters. Score the caps of the shiitake mushrooms in a decorative criss-cross pattern and arrange all vegetables and mushrooms attractively on serving platters.
VKB: Visual control: Vegetables should be washed clean of grit and neatly portioned for easy picking with chopsticks.
Before moving to the next step:
Ensure all vegetables are thoroughly drained so excess water does not dilute the simmering broths.
Phase 4: Mixing the dipping sauces – 10 min
Appliances: Small mixing bowls, spoon
4. In individual dipping bowls, combine sesame paste with a splash of warm water to loosen it, then stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chopped scallions. Prepare a second optional sauce using soy sauce, minced garlic, and chili oil for guests who prefer a lighter, sharper dip.
VKB: Visual control: The sesame sauce should be smooth, pourable, and well-emulsified.
Before moving to the next step:
Set out individual bowls, chopsticks, slotted spoons, and small plates for each diner at the table.
Phase 5: Table setup and boiling broth – 5 min
Appliances: Electric hot pot unit, dining table
5. Place the electric hot pot in the centre of the dining table and fill the compartments with the prepared boiling broths. Turn on the heating element to maintain a steady simmer at 95–100 °C throughout the meal.
VKB: Visual control: Broths should be actively bubbling before any raw ingredients are added.
Before moving to the next step:
Brief guests on safe handling of raw meats and proper use of slotted spoons for cooked items.
Phase 6: Cooking and communal dining – 25 min
Appliances: Electric hot pot, chopsticks, slotted ladles
6. Invite guests to immerse vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu into the simmering broth, cooking for 3–5 minutes at 100 °C. Cook the paper-thin beef and pork slices by dipping them into the broth for 15–30 seconds until tender. Add udon noodles toward the end of the meal, simmering for 3 minutes at 100 °C before serving with the broths.
VKB: Visual control: Meat should change colour completely from red to greyish-brown indicating thorough cooking.
Required equipment
| Utensil | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric hot pot | 3–4 litre dual-compartment | Portable burner with two pots | Burns if boiled dry |
| Slotted ladles | Individual wire mesh strainers | Standard slotted spoon | Dropping food into the pot |
| Slicing knife | 20 cm chef’s knife or santoku | Electric meat slicer | Uneven meat thickness |
Shopping list
Nutritional profile
Values per 1 portion (excluding side dishes). Calculated from average nutritional values of ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 1 portion | Per 6 portions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 83.1 kcal | 540.0 kcal | 3240.0 kcal |
| Fat | 3.4 g | 22.0 g | 132.0 g |
| of which saturates | 1.1 g | 7.2 g | 43.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6.9 g | 45.0 g | 270.0 g |
| of which sugars | 0.8 g | 5.2 g | 31.2 g |
| Protein | 6.5 g | 42.5 g | 255.0 g |
| Salt | 0.38 g | 2.5 g | 15.0 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro Level
- Pro standard: Verified recipe with precise ratios and visual control points.
- Tip 1: Partially freeze meats for 45 minutes to achieve flawless 1 mm paper-thin slices.
- Tip 2: Add root vegetables and firm tofu early as they absorb broth flavours during prolonged simmering.
- Tip 3: Keep a kettle of extra boiling chicken stock on standby to replenish the evaporating hot pot broth.
- Tip 4: Cook leafy greens and delicate enoki mushrooms for no more than 30 seconds to retain vibrant crunch.
Scientific background
Hot Pot relies on rapid thermal denaturation of muscle proteins in paper-thin meat slices, cooking them almost instantaneously upon contact with boiling liquid. The combination of amino acids from the meats and umami-rich nucleotides from mushrooms and chicken stock creates a synergistic flavour enhancement known as umami amplification.
Fine Dining – Professional techniques
- Plate composition: Arrange ingredients by colour and texture on tiered platters to elevate visual presentation.
- Textural contrasts: Pair tender, melting beef slices with crunchy napa cabbage and chewy udon noodles.
- Temperature contrast: Contrast piping hot cooked morsels with cool, fragrant dipping sauces.
- Aromatic garnishes: Finish individual bowls with finely sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Sensory radar
- Appearance: Vibrant red meats, emerald greens, earthy brown mushrooms, and pristine white tofu arranged harmoniously.
- Aroma: Pungent Sichuan peppercorns, fragrant ginger, garlic, and rich simmering chicken broth.
- Taste: Deeply savoury, spicy, umami-rich, with balanced nutty sesame undertones.
- Texture: Tender melting meats, crisp vegetables, silky tofu, and chewy noodles.
Pairing
- BEER: Crisp Chinese lager such as Tsingtao to cleanse the palate from spicy heat.
- WINE: Off-dry German Riesling with subtle sweetness to balance the mala spices.
- NON-ALCOHOLIC: Traditional warm jasmine tea or iced plum juice.
Various preparation variants
- Seafood Hot Pot: Substitute beef and pork with prawns, scallops, squid rings, and white fish fillets.
- Vegetarian Hot Pot: Use rich mushroom and kelp broth, adding assorted tofu skins, lotus root, and dumplings.
Allergens and dietary information
Contains: Soy, gluten, sesame, wheat • Gluten: Contains gluten from soy sauce and noodles • Not suitable for: Coeliacs and soy-allergic individuals
Suitable for
Family gatherings, winter dinner parties, interactive dining experiences, and festive occasions.
Substitution catalog
- Beef tenderloin: Thinly sliced lamb shoulder or ribeye
- Udon noodles: Glass noodles or ramen noodles
- Doubanjiang: Korean gochujang paste
FAQ
Can I prepare the broth in advance?
Yes, you can simmer the chicken stock with aromatics up to 24 hours ahead and store it in the refrigerator.
How do I slice the meat so thinly without a professional slicer?
Partially freeze the meat block for 45 minutes until firm, then use a very sharp chef’s knife to slice against the grain.
What should I do if the broth evaporates too quickly?
Keep a kettle of boiling water or extra chicken stock ready to top up the pot during the meal.
Is hot pot suitable for children?
Yes, simply ensure the dual-pot setup has one entirely mild, non-spicy broth compartment for kids.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 12 or more people?
12–16 people: Set up two separate hot pot stations at opposite ends of the table with duplicate vegetable and meat platters. • 20+ people: Host a buffet-style hot pot station with multiple heating units and pre-portioned ingredient trays.
Sides and Serving
- Steamed jasmine rice – Fluffy white rice to balance spicy broths (not included in the recipe)
- Pickled cucumbers – Crisp and tangy palate cleanser (not included in the recipe)
Serving: Serve bubbling at the table with individual dipping sauce bowls and personal chopstick sets.
Storage and reheating
Fridge: 2 days days • Freezer: 0 months months • Reheating: Reheat leftover broth on the stove until boiling; consume cooked meats immediately and do not store raw meats once sliced.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 30 Oct 2026
More Recipes from This Article
Other recipes you might be interested in
Why WAGUU?
Recipes on WAGUU undergo checks for the accuracy of ingredients, procedures, and nutritional values.
Process photo gallery
Community photos: Cook, take a photo, and share the result.
You can upload photos in the comments below or send them via email.
Did you record a video guide for our recipe? Insert a link to YouTube, YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels, Pinterest, Vimeo, or X (Twitter) in the comment – we’d be happy to publish it and help promote you and your content.
Common mistakes
- Overcrowding the pot – Adding too many ingredients at once drops the broth temperature and prevents proper boiling.
- Slicing meat too thick – Thick meat slices will remain chewy instead of cooking instantly in the broth.
- Overcooking vegetables – Leaving leafy greens in the broth too long destroys their crisp texture and vibrant colour.
- Failing to maintain broth level – Allowing the broth to evaporate completely can scorch the hot pot vessel.