5 essential tips for all-in-one cooking

With the temperatures continuing to plummet, hearty, warming dishes will no doubt be high on the agenda for many of you. One particularly satisfying dish at this time of the year is an Asian hot pot, known as all-in-one cooking.

The Origin of Hot Pots

Hot pots are extremely popular in Japan, but they have long been associated with Chinese cuisine. They are particular popular across South East Asia, and the Chinese hot pot can be traced to Mongolia almost 1000 years ago.

Over the years it has spread across the country, with regional variations occurring, particularly in ingredients. It originally began as a meat dish (containing mutton, beef or even horse!) and slowly, some local versions began to add seafood.

It has always been considered as a communal meal, associated with the autumn and winter months. Although the cooking equipment has changed from a more traditional coal-heated steamboat to a modern induction stove, the basics haven’t changed.

How to Do It Yourself

Asian hot pots are great for a dinner on a cold winter’s night with your friends and family. We have taken a look at five essential steps below which you should consider to get started:

Staples

When we talk about the staples, we are essentially talking about the bulk of the dish, which in this case is normally noodles. You can play around with different types of noodles, but as a general rule, the thicker the noodles the better. For something a little different, you could substitute the noodles for oriental rice.

Broth

Arguably, the main element in a hot pot is the broth, which is usually flavoured. You may decide to keep it simple with a meat or vegetable broth (or stock) or you may wish to add flavours, such as choosing a special soup base like hot and spicy. You may also want to experiment with your own Oriental soups or instant soup versions for the broth, you need to make sure the broths stay dilute and do not thicken – something which can occur if excess cornflour is added.

Meats and Vegetables

You can add anything from chicken to beef to your favourite seafood in the broth. Precooking your meat is a good idea if you like it extra soft and tender, but is not required should you opt for prawns. Marinating your meat in your favourite sauce before adding it to the broth can also help to give the dish another dimension.

When it comes to adding vegetables to the dish, fresh, crunchy vegetables are the key. Baby corn, thinly sliced carrots, exotic mushrooms, crunchy lettuce and even tofu can all be added in to kick your dish up a gear.

Dipping Sauces

The broth is traditionally cooked in the centre of the table, and the people around the table add the meat or vegetables of their choice. As you keep dipping into the hot pot, it is customary to pair the meat and vegetables with a dipping sauce.

As with most elements of the hot pot, this comes down to personal preferences, ranging from a simple soy sauce with some seasoning to a spicy or sweeter sauce. It is also not uncommon to see a beaten egg yolk used as a dipping sauce.

Equipment

This can most often be the trickiest part, as the key is to enjoy the hot pot meal on your dining table alongside friends and family. Having a portable gas stove in the centre of the table can be a good solution, allowing you to keep an eye on things at all time. Of course, you will need a large pot and lots of ideas about what to chuck into the pot, in order to have the best possible hot pot experience!

Photo courtesy of Christopher on Flickr, under Creative Commons