Spicy Hotpot Recipes

Steps:

• For the soup base:
• Heat a 3 1/2 pint capacity wok over a high heat, and add the groundnut oil. Stir-fry the chiles and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant. Add the chile bean sauce, and chile sauce, then pour in the stock. Add the star anise, mushrooms, orange peel, chile oil, and ginger, and bring everything to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Ten minutes before serving, stir in the chiles.
• For the hotpot:
• Whilst the stock is simmering, divide all the fish balls, spring onions, cabbage, deep-fried tofu, and fresh tofu on 4 serving plates, cover with plastic wrap, and chill them in the refrigerator.
• For the soy dipping sauce:
• Combine the black vinegar, soy sauce, and chiles in a bowl, and set the sauce aside.
• For the special dipping sauce:
• Let each guest prepare their own Taiwanese dipping sauce at the table. In a small bowl, stir to combine, the egg yolk, satay sauce, cilantro, and spring onions.*
• For the assembly:
• To serve, arrange all the ingredients on the table. Transfer the soup base to an electric wok or fondue pot, and set it up in the center of the table. Let the guests help themselves, and cook the raw ingredients in the spicy broth. Serve with both dipping sauces.

Steps:

• For the pork broth: Fill a 7-quart Dutch oven with 12 cups cold water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, soak the pork bones in cold water in a large bowl, to remove some of the blood, for about 20 minutes or until the water boils. Add the bones to the pot and boil until the water darkens and there's a lot of foam on the surface, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones and clean the pot of any residue.
• Return the pork bones to the pot and add the carrots, corn, daikon and 16 cups cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the broth is very milky, about 2 1/2 hours. Skim off any dark proteins and fat, then lightly season with salt.
• Transfer the pork broth, along with the bones and other solids, which will continue to flavor the broth, to an 11-inch hot pot pot with a divider. Add the chili oil to one side of the pot. Place the pot on a portable butane burner and bring to a boil over high heat.
• For the components: Meanwhile, arrange the beef, fish, cabbage, spinach, potatoes, pumpkin, eggs, fish tofu and udon noodles on plates or platters, as you like. Set out at least two pairs of chopsticks or tongs and small strainer baskets (these are useful when cooking more fragile ingredients, such as fish, tofu and the like). As for the chopsticks/tongs, let everyone know not to use the same pair for picking up raw and cooked meat and fish.
• For the condiments: Create a "dipping sauce station" with any of the condiments, along with a bunch of small plates and bowls. Each person can mix and match them as they like.
• Once the broth is boiling, start cooking! Let each person cook their own ingredients in the broth (the side with the chili oil is spicier), being mindful not to overcrowd the pot. If the broth reduces too much and you still have raw ingredients left, add some warm water to the pot and bring to a boil. If you like, you can eat the marrow from the pork bones.
• Proteins-Thinly sliced chicken, pork or lamb, mini-pork sausages, low-sodium luncheon meat cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, shellfish, fish cakes, tofu
• Vegetables-sweet potato, kabocha squash, watercress, bok choy, corn on the cob, lotus root, kale, chile peppers, tomato, bean sprouts, enoki, shiitake or button mushrooms
• Noodles, etc.-ramen noodles, rice noodles, konjac noodle knots, dumplings, rice cakes, dried tofu sticks
• Stir together the Pork Broth, BBQ sauce, sesame paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic and scallions in a small bowl until combined.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat half the oil in a medium saucepan. Fry the onion for 3 mins, then add the mushrooms. Cook for another 3 mins, then increase the heat and add the garlic, ground cumin and paprika, and cook for 1 min. Remove from the heat and add the lentils, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and 100ml water. Season, then tip the mixture into a casserole dish.
• Rinse the saucepan and return to the hob. Add a kettle full of boiled water and bring back to the boil over a high heat. Add the potato slices, cook for 3 mins, then drain. Arrange on top of the lentils, then brush with the remaining oil. Roast in the oven for 25 mins until the potatoes are golden, then scatter over the thyme before serving.