Hotpot - What is it?

Here in China, one of my favorite things is the food. There are many different styles of restaurants, and hotpot is among the most popular. When large groups of people go out together (for work lunches and team building exercises) they often choose hotpot. There's really nothing like it in America, and it is something I'll definitely miss when we leave. It's basically a large pot sitting on a burner at your table, filled with flavorful broths in which you cook your meal. You get to choose different types of food to cook, and typically put in one type at a time.

There are many different types of hotpot, but here I will describe my favorite: traditional Sichuan. Restaurants that serve this have pots that are divided into sections with different flavors. One is spicy, one is not. Occasionally there will be three sections, with the third being a specialty flavor. With traditional style, meat does not come on the bone like it does at most restaurants here, but rather, cut very thin. Waiters will always bring the meat first, and you cook it and eat before the vegetables come. This allows the meat to influence the soup, creating a more savory flavor for your vegetables. The most common vegetables to order are leafy greens and mushrooms. When it is ready to be eaten, you dip your food in a sauce. At Sichuan restaurants this consists of herbs, peppers, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame or peanut oil, and spices. Usually, there will be a "sauce station" that holds all the ingredients so you can make yours exactly how you want it.

The food is delicious, but it is just as much about the experience as it is about the taste. In China, people often don't get their own food; plates are shared by everyone. At hotpot, cooking together emphasizes this sense of eating as one. I don't think this would ever become popular in America because of the need to cook the food yourself and the steam that gets in your face. However, I hope I am wrong as it is really a nice meal and I encourage everyone to try it at least once!