Christmas can be pretty boring. In fact, even with variety, it can become boring. But, variety delays the inevitability of boredom. So, this Christmas, our dinner wasn't your standard-issue turkey. It was something more...Chinese Hot Pot.
Your mouth's watering, isn't it?
Here's how it's done:
Start with a large pot and soup base. You can use chicken stock or beef stock (I think we used Chicekn this time). In the large pot with lots of base, you add Chinese mushrooms, sliced varieties of fish cake, taro, and daikon. Get these going and cooked/warmed thoroughly.
Next get out your electric wok/deep pan (like the one in the picture). Set it in the middle of a large table and surround it with raw everything - sliced fish (snapper or orange roughy are good choices), shrimp, squid, beef, lamb and/or pork (you can pick up pre-sliced versions cut for this, or cut your own paper thin slices with a meat slicer - don't use anything thicker than a few sheets of paper or it's not going to work), sliced fish cakes, spinach, red leaf lettuce, extra taro and daikon (half-cooked, so it will go quicker), and glass noodles.
Your dipping sauce will be some combination of: Chinese BBQ sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sliced jalepeno chiles, ponzu, and/or lemon. I prefer 3 tbsp BBQ sauce, with 1 tbsp soy, lots of peppers, a bit of squeezed lemon, and that's all. Experiment and see what you like.
Now, have the family sit down and enjoy. You will add what you like to eat, watch it cook/heat, then pull it and dip it in your own bowl of sauce. It's family style (and many might be afraid of sharing soup, but...it's boiled...how bad can it be?).
Study the picture to see the elements, keep the working soup pot full with extra broth, and by the time everyone is done eating, you can enjoy the soup which will be thoroughly flavored.
You can pick up everything you need at Stater Brothers and 99 Ranch.
Enjoy!
~ Brock
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