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Anatomy of a dish

BROTH
The cooking medium will depend on the
region. The hugely popular spicy Chongqing
style broth from Sichuan tradition has a
chicken, beef or fish base, seasoned with
punchy flavours like garlic, star anise, ginger,
soy and, of course, Sichuan peppercorns and
a tonne of chilli. Japan’s shabu shabu on the
other hand, has a much subtler kombu-based
broth, Korea’s jeongol combines a Japanese-
style broth with the heat of chilli, Thailand’s
suki is flavoured with a sauce made from chilli,
garlic, lime and coriander, while Vietnamese
hotpots often feature lau, a light, clear broth.

INGREDIENTS

Get ready to make some decisions. What you’ll be dunking will

depend on the region, but adding heavier, denser ingredients first

is usually a good idea, simply because they take longer to cook.

MEATBALLS (1)Fish, chicken, pork and prawn balls add unique

texture. They float to the top when they’re ready.

GREENS (2)Ong choy, lettuce, chrysanthemum greens (aka tong

hao), bok choy and cabbage balance out the heavier ingredients

and add flavour to the broth, as do fresh herbs.

SEAFOOD (3)Shellfish options vary from prawns to scallops,

abalone, crab and oysters. Fish comes sliced, and you may see

squid and cuttlefish ofered in both fresh and dried forms.

MARINATED MEATS (4)Chicken, pork and beef are all common

options, marinated perhaps in soy, chilli and vinegar.

TOFU (5)Firm, silken, pufed, pressed or in sticks – you’ll see it all.

The tofu acts like a sponge and soaks up the broth’s goodness.

NOODLES (6)You’ll want noodles – perhaps vermicelli, or thicker

udon, ho fun or Korea’s japchae, sweet potato noodles. Wontons,

dumplings and rice may also be on the table. Add them last.

SLICED MEATS (7)Sliced thinly so it takes mere moments to cook,

meats add a depth of flavour to the broth, while ofal brings texture.

MUSHROOMS (8)All perfect for soaking up that essential broth.●

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