[CH] Spicy Hotpot - the recipe

Terry Pogue (tpogue@comcast.net)
Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:06:48 -0400 

Spicy Hotpot - Serves 4
Recipe By: Ching-He Huang

Ingredients
			Spicy Soup Base
	2	tablespoon	groundnut oil (peanut)
	3		to 4 long dried Sichuan chiles or long dried chiles
	2	ounce	whole Sichuan peppercorns
	1	tablespoon	chile bean sauce*
	1	tablespoon	chile sauce
	6	cup	hot vegetable stock
	2		star anise
	6		dried Chinese mushrooms or 6 dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms
	1	small	handful dried orange peel or the zest of 1 orange
	9	ounce	chile oil
	1		(1-inch) piece fresh ginger -- peeled
	2	med	red chiles -- seeded and sliced
			*Can be found at specialty Asian markets.
			Hotpot
	9	ounce	(MSG free) fish balls Cook's Note: If you are unable to get hold of these -- leave them out, or substitute with vegetables instead.
	1	large	spring onion -- coarsely chopped
	1	small	handful Chinese cabbage leaves -- sliced 1-inch thick
	1	small	handful deep-fried tofu Cook's Note: If you are unable to get hold of this -- leave it out or substitute with vegetables instead.
	1	small	handful fresh tofu -- cut into 1-inch chunks
			Vinegar -- Chile and Soy Dipping Sauce
	3	tablespoon	black rice vinegar (recommended) or balsamic vinegar
	3	tablespoon	light soy sauce
	1		red chile -- seeded and finely chopped
			Special Taiwanese Dipping Sauce (1 serving)
	1		egg yolk
	1	tablespoon	Oriental satay sauce* or barbeque sauce
	1	tablespoon	light soy sauce
	1	tablespoon	finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
	1	tablespoon	finely sliced spring onions (green)
			*Can be found at specialty Asian markets.
			For assembly
	9	ounce	(MSG-free) fish cake -- sliced Cook's Note: If you are unable to get hold of this, leave it out or substitute with vegetables instead.
			Baby corn -- as needed*
			Raw lamb -- thinly sliced, as needed
			Raw prawns or shrimp -- shelled and deveined, as needed
			Firm tofu -- cut into chunks, as needed
			Enoki mushrooms -- as needed
			*Can be found at specialty Asian markets.

Instructions
This is a mouth-tingling, numbing hotpot! The spicy soup stock base is a delicious broth in which fresh ingredients are poached - like a Chinese fondue. The Mandarin word for such a feast is 'Huo-guo', meaning 'hotpot', because all the ingredients are cooked in a hotpot!

I love this kind of feast, it is easy to prepare, and is great for interaction with friends. All you need is an electric wok or fondue set up in the centre of the table and plenty of soup ladles and away you go. I had this dish in Chengdu in the middle of summer and it was fantastic. Be warned - this is extremely spicy.

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.

Cook's Note:

Make sure you have plenty of utensils for the raw ingredients at the table, and let your guests use those to add anything into the stockpot - this reduces the chance of cross contamination from the raw ingredients and your guests' serving plates.

*RAW EGG WARNING

Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illnesses. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolk or whites and the shell.


Exported from A Cook's Books -- Recipe management for Macintosh





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