Hinabe (Hot Pot)

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Hot Pot Broth (Simplified)
1800 ml beef/chicken/vegetable broth (approximately 7 1/2 cups)
4 cloves garlic
3 slices ginger
1 onions
1/4 cup Chinese Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
4 bay leaves
1 whole star anise
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt

(Optional) Silkier Hot Pot Broth
1 pork hock (cut into 2-3 inch chunks)

(Optional) Spicy Hot Pot Broth
3/4 cup oil
3 tablespoons dried chili peppers flakes
handful of whole dried chili peppers
1-2 teaspoons cayenne powder (optional)

Hot Pot Ingredients Ideas (Mix & Match)
Meats & Seafood: (Thinly Sliced Fish, Chicken, Turkey, Pork / Squid / Fresh Oysters / Bacon or Pork Belly / Spam / Tripe / Frozen Mussels)
Vegetables: (Red, Yellow or Green Peppers cut into chunks / Variety of Chinese Greens (Napa Cabbage, Tong Oh, Pea Sprouts, Watercress Greens etc) / Brussels Sprouts cut in half / Cabbage / Carrots / Broccoli / Cauliflower / Baby Corn (from a can) / Bean Sprouts / Zucchini / Garlic Chives / Taro)
Variety of Noodles & Tidbits: (Udon, thick rice noodles, instant noodles (without the flavor packs etc) / Shirataki Yam Noodle Bundles / Bean Curd Skin Rolls)

Dipping Sauces Ideas (Mix & Match)
Salty : Soy Sauce / Fish Sauce / Oyster Sauce
Sour : Rice Vinegar / Chinese Black Vinegar / Red Wine Vinegar / Lime Juice
Sweet : Hoisin Sauce / Maple Syrup / Honey
Spicy : Dried Chili Flakes / Sriracha / Chinese Chili Oil / Sambal Olek / Cayenne Powder
Flavor : Chinese BBQ Sauce (Shacha Sauce / Sesame oil)
Texture : Sesame Paste / Raw Egg / Green Onions / Sesame Seeds

Instructions
Hot Pot Broth (Simplified)
In a large pot add all the ingredients under the ‘Hot Pot Broth’ (Simplified)
Boil for 1 hour with lid on medium heat.
Once the broth is done, remove the spices, onions, garlic and ginger – the broth is ready to be used. Place the broth in a pot (or use the pot it’s already in) and place it over a portable induction stove and you’re good to go!
Note: If the broth was reduced too much (you should have enough broth to dunk food in and to cook it), add 1 cup of water into the broth before starting hot pot.

Silky Hot Pot Broth (Optional, will require more cooking time)
In a large pot add all the ingredients under the ‘Hot Pot Broth’ (Simplified)
Rinse the pork hock to remove any bone shards
Add the pork hock into the pot once you have added all the spices in, in step 1.
Boil for 2 hours and 30 minutes
Skim off any floaty scum bits that floats on top of the broth.
Once the broth is done, remove the spices, onions, garlic, ginger and pork hocks – the broth is ready to be used. Place the broth in a pot (or use the pot it’s already in) and place it over a portable induction stove and you’re good to go!
Set the pork hocks at the table and snack on them with the dipping sauces.
Note: If the broth was reduced too much (you should have enough broth to dunk food in and to cook it), add 1 cup of water into the broth before starting hot pot.

Making Your Hot Pot Broth Spicy (Optional)
In a frying pan, set the stove on low heat
Add the oil and dried chili flakes and toast it for 1-2 minutes. You will know it’s ready when you can smell it.
Turn off the heat
[Optional] Mix in cayenne powder if you like it spicier, since this is a mild spicy chili oil
[Optional] Soak whole dried chili peppers in the finished chili oil for additional spiciness
Set the oil aside until the hot pot broth is finished.
Once the broth is finished, and you are ready to eat – pour the chili oil into the hot pot broth and set the pot over a portable induction stove and you’re good to go!