Hot Pot Recipe

Hot pot is an excellent way to use up surplus vegetables from fall garden harvests. You can use any available vegetables and leafy greens. Larger vegetables need to be appropriately sliced, so that they can cook quickly. Likewise, any meats can be used. Fish needs to be chunked, and other meats such as beef or chicken needs to be thinly sliced so that it will cook. Udon noodles or rice noodles are an excellent addition.

It's a social meal as you all sit around the hot pot, and wait for each item to cook. Plan at least 2 hours to eat the meal.

There is an order to eating with hot pot. Vegetables and meats should be eaten first. The noodles should be eaten last, as they tend to thicken the broth. Lastly, the thickened broth is eaten as a soup that has been flavored with all of the vegetables, meats and noodles that have been cooked in it.

You'll need an electric hot pot which can be purchased for about $60-$99, and an extension cord.

Broth Ingredients

Directions

Brown the onions and garlic in a skillet, and then puree in a blender with some of the liquid. Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot, and heat until boiling. Transfer the broth as needed into the hot pot.

Sesame Dipping Sauce Ingredients

Directions

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until it turns into a smooth paste. Add water to get the right consistency. You should be able to dip vegetables and meats in and have it coat the items. If there isn't enough water, the paste wont stick, and likewise if too watery it wont coat the items that you are dipping. Serve is small bowls, one for each person.

Soy Dipping Sauce

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients except cilantro together. Serve in small bowls, one for each person. Garnish the top of each bowl with cilantro.