{"id":110424,"title":"Homemade Broth for Chinese Hot Pot (Mild and Spicy Versions)","modified":"2025-10-29T17:02:06+01:00","plain":"A detailed guide to homemade Chinese hot pot broth. Two versions are included: a classic Sichuan-style spicy broth and a mild, chicken stock-based broth.\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019ve ever enjoyed Chinese hot pot, you\u2019ll agree it\u2019s a fun, interactive way to eat.\n\n\n\nAlthough I\u2019ve published a complete guide to Chinese hot pot, the broth\u2014the foundation of a great hot pot\u2014deserves its own post.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this post, I cover the two most common hot pot broths: Sichuan spicy broth and a mild, chicken stock-based broth. Choose your favorite, or use a divided yin-yang wok to serve both.\n\n\n\nHow to make Sichuan spicy broth\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen I make hot pot, the spicy broth is my go-to. If you\u2019ve been following me for a while, you\u2019ll quickly see why. In short, it\u2019s made from a very flavorful homemade concentrated base plus water (or chicken stock).\n\n\n\nSpicy hot pot broth\n\n\n\nThe most popular type, known as Hong You Guo Di\/\u7ea2\u6cb9\u9505\u5e95 (which means spicy red oil broth), comes from Sichuan and Chongqing (a municipality under direct control that used to be part of Sichuan province).\n\n\n\nThis broth has a high fat content (usually beef tallow, though cooking oil can be used), a powerful, complex aroma, and the distinctive taste of Mala\/\u9ebb\u8fa3 (numbing and spicy), the hallmark of Sichuan cuisine. Fat and spice\u2014starting to see why I\u2019m so fond of this broth?\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI like making my broth 100% from scratch for two reasons :\n\n\n\na) I know exactly what\u2019s going into the broth (no preservatives, additives, or flavor enhancers).\n\n\n\nb) It tastes way better, perfectly tailored to your (and my) tastes!\n\n\n\nThe heart of the recipe is making a base you can freeze for future hot pots. When hot pot night rolls around, there won\u2019t be much work left.\n\n\n\nHow to rehydrate mushrooms\n\n\n\nFor the mild broth, use rehydrated mushrooms. If you don\u2019t know how, we have a complete guide to rehydrating mushrooms\n\n\n\nBlack mushrooms rehydrating\n\n\n\nIngredients for the spicy broth concentrate\n\n\n\nTo make the spicy soup base, you\u2019ll need:\n\n\n\n\nBeef tallow: This key ingredient serves two purposes: it makes the broth rich and aromatic; it solidifies at room temperature so it binds all the other ingredients into a block for easy, convenient storage.\n\n\n\nDried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. Together, they create the Mala flavor.\n\n\n\nOther spices, such as star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, tsao-ko (Chinese black cardamom), jujube (Chinese red date), etc.\n\n\n\nAromatics such as scallions, onion, cilantro (aka coriander), garlic, and ginger. Trust me\u2014the broth won\u2019t be nearly as delicious without them.\n\n\n\nSichuan chili paste and fermented black beans. These two fermented ingredients appear in many Sichuan classics.\n\n\n\nShaoxing wine and sugar to balance the flavor.\n\n\n\n\nVegan alternative\n\n\n\nSichuan spicy hot pot broth also has a vegan option. Simply replace the beef tallow with a neutral-flavored cooking oil, such as sunflower oil.\n\n\n\nHow to choose dried chilies\n\n\n\nPopular Sichuan varieties include Facing Heaven chilies (\u671d\u5929\u6912), Er Jing Tiao chilies (\u4e8c\u8346\u6761), and lantern chilies (\u706f\u7b3c\u6912). The first is quite hot, while the other two are milder and more aromatic.\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a lot of chilies\n\n\n\nUse a mix of two if you can find them, but honestly, most Asian grocery stores only carry the generic dried chilies shown above. Choose based on heat level and your tolerance. (No judgment!)\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\tHomemade Chinese Hot Pot Broth\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\tcasserole ying yang\t\n\t\n\t\tFor the Spicy Broth (Makes 4 Concentrate Blocks)2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine4 small pieces of cinnamon stick2 star anise4 bay leaves50 g dried chilies3 tablespoons red Sichuan peppercorns (green or a mix of both)110 g neutral oil350 g beef tallow1 Tsao-ko (aka Cao Guo\/Chinese black cardamom (optional))1 handful cilantro1 teaspoon minced ginger1 head of garlic, minced2 L water or stock1 fermented black beans, rinsed and roughly chopped1 onion, sliced5 scallions, cut into sections120 g Sichuan chili paste2 tablespoons sugarFor the Mild Broth (Enough for One Hot Pot)1 whole chicken (or 4 chicken thighs\/6 chicken legs)3 scallions, cut into sections1 pinch of salt, to taste5 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated5 ginger slicesdried Chinese dates (aka jujube (optional))Goji berries (optional)1 pinch of ground white pepper\t\n\t\n\t\tFor the Spicy BrothSet aside 8 dried chilies for garnish, and soak the remainder in hot water for about 30 minutes (split and seed them first if you want less heat). Meanwhile, wash, chop, and measure the other ingredients.Drain the softened chilies, add to a blender, and blend into a coarse paste. Alternatively, chop by hand; wear kitchen gloves to avoid burns.In a small bowl, mix the Sichuan peppercorns with the Shaoxing wine. Set aside.Add the cooking oil and beef tallow to a wok or pot, along with the star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and tsao-ko if using. Heat over medium until the bay leaves start to turn golden.Turn off the heat. Use a slotted spoon to remove all the spices. Let the oil cool for about 1 minute. Add the onion, scallions, and cilantro. Return the heat to medium. Cook until the onion edges start to brown (do not let it burn). Remove all the aromatics from the oil.Carefully add the chili paste, the Sichuan chili paste, the fermented black beans, the minced garlic, and the ginger. Simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.Add the sugar and the Sichuan peppercorn\u2013Shaoxing wine mixture. Cook 2 minutes more. Turn off the heat and let cool slightly.Pour the oil, along with the solids, into a heatproof container. Add the remaining dried chilies for garnish (they will float on the surface). Let cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 24 hours to intensify the flavor.Cut the solidified concentrate into four small blocks. Use about 1.5 liters of hot water or stock per block of concentrate.Store the remaining soup base blocks for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.For the Mild BrothPlace the chicken in a stockpot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a rolling boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.Add the ginger slices and simmer over low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours.Remove the chicken. Pour the stock into the pot you use for hot pot. Top up with hot water if necessary.Add the scallions, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese dates, and Goji berries if using. Season with salt and white pepper. Bring back to a full boil and start your hot pot.\t\n\t\n\t\tYou can use any type of dried chili for this recipe; choose based on your heat tolerance.\nYou may replace the beef tallow with cooking oil. Note: in that case, the broth concentrate will not solidify after chilling.\nYou can also use pork or beef bones to make the broth. Follow the same method.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tSoupes et bouillonsChinoiseBouillon, Pour l'hiver\t\n\n\n\n\n\nThis recipe is directly inspired by Red House Spice.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110424"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110518,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110424\/revisions\/110518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}