If you've been lucky enough to experience Mongolian Hot Pot in the Far East, you'll know it is an unforgettable experience. Recreate it for treasured friends.
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| Mongolian Hotpot - Stovepipe plus basin |
The traditional hotpot is a circular metal basin surrounding a chimney containing burning charcoal (also called a Stovepipe). Guests help themselves to a variety of thinly sliced meats and vegetables which are cooked in the boiling stock in the basin. It's served with sauces and soft white rolls. Eventually the liquid and any remaining meat & veg is cooked together and ladled into individual bowls.
It's the Asian equivalent of the group-participation fondue, thought to have been introduced to China in the 13th century when the Mongols invaded. Unusual and appetising, the Asian hotpot causes great excitement and glee.
Those who can afford it will buy the traditional 'stovepipe' (see pic above), for £65.99, incl VAT (2015 prices) at Loon Fong supermarket in Tottenham (0208 365 1132*). Most of us, however, will be foraging in cupboards and attics for the fondu dish (or two). An electric wok or a large deep electric frypan that would keep liquid boiling would also do the trick. The cooking pot should be rock solid on a flat surface and preferably in the middle of a round table.
67goingon50 recommends the hotpot be served at lunchtime, before too much alcohol has been consumed.
In the interests of good health, this recipe replaces traditional lamb leg with low-fat chicken, lean beef, white fish, raw prawns and firm tofu. Mongolian Hotpot is by no means a frugal dish - though you needn't offer all of the proteins - but it is a sensational Festive offering, guaranteed to win culinary kudos.
A vegan version using tofu is possible but if you're planning a double/triple duty event, the vegans will need an entirely different pot with vegetable stock. They will, however, have a bigger selection of vegetables!!
Please do not attempt this dish without stable equipment and furniture; any trailing electrical cords should be taped to the floor or wall with black electrical tape to prevent accidents involving guests (or host).
(Scroll down for a Frugal Version)
The recipe was inspired by The Chinese Cookbook, by Craig Clairborne & Virginia Lee, published by Andre Deutsch in 1973.
Cost: Depends on how much and which proteins are chosen; poss max £10 per person? A Pot Luck version is also possible with each guest contributing a protein.
Feeds: 6-8
Ingred:
4 raw chicken breasts, skinned and boned
225gm/8oz lean beef eg rump steak
225gm/8oz white, non oily fish fillets OR defrosted cooked premium mixed seafood
up to 24 raw shrimps, peeled & deveined
3-4 pads firm tofu, in large dice
120ml/1/2c dry sherry
8 spring onions, cut to 2 in/4cm, white & green included
500gm/16oz well-rinsed spinach, stalks removed
500gm/16oz Chinese cabbage or romaine lettuce in bite-size pieces
115gm/4oz beanstarch noodles, also called (cellophane or transparent)
3.7 litres/4 quarts chicken stock
plate of cucumber sticks and baby tomatoes
12-18 soft white rolls
Dips: Master Sauce (scroll down) plus any or all of oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sweet chilli dipping sauce, sesame seeds, chopped coriander and finely diced de-seeded chilli in sesame sauce in a 2-to-1 ratio
Method:
- Put the meat & fish in freezer until partially frozen
- Place breast meat on a flat surface and holding a very sharp knife at an angle, slice the meat thinly on the bias
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| Partially freeze the meat and use a very sharp knife to cut fine, thin slices. Use a fork or tongs to hold down the meat while slicing. (Always have a First Aid kit in your kitchen) |
Overlap the slices so that guests can remove them a slice at a time with chopsticks or fondu forks.
- Slice the beef against the grain in very thin slices and arrange in overlapping slices on a plate
- Halve the shrimp vertically; arrange on a plate
- Slice fish fillets, thinly and on the bias; arrange on a plate
- Cut firm tofu into bite-sized chunks' arrange on a plate
- Sprinkle sherry over the plates of protein
- Split the ends of each length of green onion; drop into cold water until ends curl; drain, scatter over protein: cover & refrigerate
- Check cooking vessel(s) is flat and very stable.
- Add stock to cooking vessel/s and bring to a boil
- Pour boiling water over noodles, leave for 5 minutes or until soft, untangle, drain, sprinkle with toasted sesame oil. Spread on a platter
- Place spinach, chinese cabbage & rolls in separate bowls
- In the kitchen, put a separate pot of stock to boil, leave it simmering gently,checking levels frequently - this gives extra stock for noodle soup at the of the meal
- Arrange plates & bowls of protein, vegetables, noodles, bread and sauces around the cooking vessel(s)
- Seat guests; each should have a pair of chopsticks or a fondue fork to dip pieces of protein or veg, one piece at a time, into the boiling broth until the desired doneness is achieved
- Eat with bread and dips
- When guests have had enough protein, add leftovers plus vegetables plus beanstarch/cellophane noodles into broth until wilted & heated through. Ladle into individual bowls.
MASTER SAUCE
Mix 100 ml sherry, 100 ml reduced-salt soy sauce, 2-3 tbsp grated ginger, 2-3 cloves grated garlic, 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil and a tbsp sesame seeds (to taste).
Tips:
- Some guests will want to have soup and noodles before the end of the meal; that will be ok half-way through the meal when the broth should already be fragrant and intensely flavoured
- A Frugal Mongolian Hotpot would focus on a single plate of meat or fish and maybe tofu with quantities of the other ingredients adjusted accordingly
- *Loon Fong has a cash & carry outlet in Silvertown, Docklands Tel 0207 055 1888
B Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises accept no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided
This recipe has been developed by B Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.
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