Chinese hotpot

Hot pot meals can get messy towards the end. Hot pot, also known as the Mongolian Hot Pot, usually refers to Chinese varieties of steamboat stew. Huo Guo (Traditional Chinese: ���; Simplified Chinese: ���; Hanyu Pinyin: hu��gu��) is the Chinese name for "hot pot", where hu�� means "fire", while gu�� refers to "pot". Chinese Fondue is an English term used more commonly in Western countries. Da ben lu (��߅�t) is the common Cantonese terminology for hot pot which translates literally into "hitting the side of the pot." It consists of a simmering pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, and seafood. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. In many areas, hot pot meals are often eaten in the winter. It is often claimed that this Chinese style of cooking had its origins in the region of Mongolia, even before the rise of the Mongols, although there is little scientific evidence for it. Both the preparation method and the required equipment are unknown in the cuisine of Mongolia of today. Especially the latter is much better suited to a sedentary culture. In a nomadic household, less specialized tools are preferred, to save volume and weight during migration. Hot pot cooking seems to have spread in northern China during the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-906). In time, regional variations developed with different ingredients such as seafood. By the Qing Dynasty, the hot pot became popular throughout most of China. Today in many modern homes, particularly in the big cities, the traditional coal-heated steamboat or hot pot has been replaced with electric or gas versions. Because steamboat and hot pot styles change so much from region to region, many different ingredients are used. While not strictly traditional, it is fun to experiment with ingredients and sauces according to one's own tastes. A Cantonese variation includes mixing a raw egg with the condiments to reduce the amount of 'heat' absorbed by the food, thereby reducing the likelihood of a sore throat after the steamboat meal, according to Chinese herbalist theories. Frozen meat is sliced deli-thin to prepare it for hot pot cooking. Slicing frozen meat this way causes it to roll up during cooking, and it is often presented as such. Meats used include lamb, beef, chicken, and others. The cooking pot is often sunk into the table and fueled by propane, or alternatively is above the table and fueled by hot coals. Meat or vegetables are loaded individually into the hot cooking broth by chopsticks, and cooking time is brief. Meat often only takes 15 to 30 seconds to cook. There are often disagreements between different types of hot pot enthusiasts. Some like to place items into the hot pot at a relaxed, leisurely pace, enjoying the cooking process, while others prefer to throw everything in at once and wait for the hotpot to return to a boil.