Plain Hotpot Broth (Sichuan) -- Bai Tang Lu

By: Gandalf The White
Jul 25, 2009

Recipezaar has (as of July 2009) 29 hotpot recipes, but all but one of these are not the Chinese style hotpot. The exception (Mongolian Hotpot With Chicken and Shrimp #327359) is listed as Mongolian style hotpot. This recipe, and several that will follow, are authentic Sichuan. The source is Fuschia Dunlop's Land of Plenty, which focuses on Sichuan cuisine. One of her other books, The Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook, discusses the Hunanese version of hotpot cuisine, which appears to be more similar to the Mongolian than is the Sichuanese. I haven't had this specific recipe, but I have had Sichuan hotpot at several Chengdu and NYC Chinatown Sichuan restaurants ... an absolutely wonderful meal. Fuschia spent several years in Chengdu as a student at Sichuan's most notable cooking school ...IMHO her books are among the most authentic and best sources in English for Sichuanese and Hunanese recipes. The basic process is as follows; Prepare the broth (this recipe) or multiple broths (plain, spicy, vegetarian, etc.). Prepare raw ingredients which will be dipped by each individual guest. Each guest will remove his/her ingredient when cooked to their preference, then dipped in a dipping sauce (there may be 4-12 sauces for the party) and eaten. When all are done with the dipping ingredients, the broth, now flavored from all the dipping ingredients, is served as a soup/broth. Enjoy!! This is heavenly ... like a fondue but so much better!!