Step 1

Determine if your guests would like the hot and spicy or mild broth (I made one of each).

Step 2

Turn your burner on medium high and add the oil. Then add Sichuan peppercorns, Sichuan dried peppers, whole star anise, ginger, and orange peel and stir fry until aromatic, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Add chicken broth, dried mushrooms, diakon radish, baby corns (or corn on the cob), chili bean sauce, soy sauce, garlic chili oil and green onions and allow to cook for about 20 minutes or until the diakon radish is tender. Turn down the temperature to a simmer until you are ready to eat. Skim your broth frequently.

Step 4

Turn burner on Medium high. Add chicken broth, diakon radish, Chinese red dates, goji berries, garlic, ginger, dried mushrooms, baby corns or corn on the cob, star anise, sesame oil, spring onions, salt, white pepper and soy sauce to taste. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the daikon and corn are tender. Place heat to a simmer. Skim your broth frequently.

Step 5

Plate up all of your uncooked thinly slices meats, fish on to separate serving plates. Also plate up all of your raw vegetables and other items such as noodles to prepare for the guests to cook at the dining room table.

Step 6

Prepare your dipping sauces and condiments and place on dining room table.

Step 7

Transfer your Hot Pot Soup Base Spicy or mild version from your pot on the stove to your hot pot at the dining room table. (Be careful- very hot) Turn on your electric or gas hot-pot and return temperature up to a slight boil. (If you decide to make only one type of broth this whole procedure can be done at the dining room table on the electric or gas hot-pot)

Step 8

Make sure the hot-pot broth is boiling. With your cooking chopsticks, carefully start adding your firmer vegetables like squash, carrots or lotus root to the boiling hot pot broth, as these take longest to cook. Next go with either your meats or fish and dip into hot broth and swish back and forth until cooked. Then, start adding some green leafy vegetables. Each person will need to cook and grab from the hot-pot their finished cooked product with their cooking chopsticks or tongs NOT with your eating chopsticks.

Step 9

Provide small bowls for the cooked delights and enjoy dipping your cooked meats, fish and vegetables in the dipping sauces and condiments. We also like to add a few spoonfuls of the hot pot broth on the cooked items as it is so nourishing.

Step 10

When all of the guests have finished cooking the meat, fish, vegetables, add the noodles as the last step and cook until al dente. (I like to save a few mushrooms as this really makes the broth really savory.)

Step 11

Enjoy a wonderful heart healthy bowl of hot pot with family and friends.

Step 12

During the cooking process, it is common to need to add additional broth as the ingredients absorb some of the broth as some of the broth evaporates. Make sure you have extra chicken, vegetable or broth reserved on the side as you will need it.