Good Look Cookbook: Hot Pot

Is this going to be the first time you read a recipe online without 3 pages worth of dialog before a few bullet points? Yes, yes it is.... However, I will preface this with the fact that, a) this whole meal stemmed from an online purchase I was eyeing, but can easily be done with a pot over a bunsen burner. Also, b) it's hardly a recipe; one of the best things about Hot Pot is that it gets to be everything you want and none of what you don't.

Chinese Hot Pot is an interactive meal designed for quick cooking and easy fun. While it can be as simple or as complicated as you'd like, this was my first time cooking Hot Pot at home, so I kept my ingredients fairly simple and easily accessible with a trip to my local International Market.

My heat source included a split pot, allotting me room for two different styles of broth. I decided to try a spicy sichuan pepper based broth and a milder ginger broth for some relief to the heat. There are many prepacked bases to choose from, and I would suggest using them as they are packed full of flavor. Once you let your broths come to a full boil, then you can get cooking-

What's in mine?

• Thin Sliced Ribeye Beef: A butcher will be able to do this for you, but I went and picked mine up from the International Market. I would not suggest trying to cut this yourself. You need the consistency in cuts, as it directly attributes to the cook time.

• Shrimp

• Fish Balls: Another International Market find

• Leafy Romaine & Napa Cabbage:

• Dumplings: Fully Cooked (Frozen)

• Kimchi & Cucumber Kimchi: Locally made, but you can also find this in your grocery store.

• Tomato and Green Onion:

• Ramen Noodles: A nice add on towards the end to finish up your pot with.

• Dipping Sauce: crushed chili, dark soy sauce, scallion, garlic, sesame oil, honey to taste.

There’s plenty of camaraderie to be had with a meal as interactive as Hot Pot can be. I definitely suggest getting your hands on some local ingredients and trying something new this holiday season!

Let me know, have you done Hot Pot at home? Or where’s your favorite place to try it nearby?