One of my favorite ways to warm up in the winter months is hot pot.  It is a popular East Asian cooking method where a simmering pot of broth is placed at the centre of the table and dinners cook a variety of ingredients in the broth.  There are many different regional variations across East Asia.  Here are some of the most popular types.

Japanese Hotpot:

• Sukiyaki: Features a sweet and savory broth made with soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. Ingredients such as thinly sliced beef, tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables are simmered in the broth and then dipped in raw beaten eggs before eating.
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  Shabu shabu hotpot has small individual soup servings that can be customized to include different vegetables and proteins.  I love that the portions are perfect, and I leave happy but also feeling healthy.

  Shabu Shabu: Involves swishing thinly sliced meats, such as beef or pork, in a boiling broth for a few seconds until cooked. The cooked meat is then dipped in various dipping sauces before being eaten with rice or noodles and vegetables.  I love shabu shabu in that it has relatively healthy ingredients and the broth is not heavy or over-powering in flavor.  Instead you can really taste the different spices that went into the masterpiece.

Chinese Hotpot:

• Cantonese Hotpot: Features a clear and mild broth made from chicken or pork bones. Ingredients may include seafood, meatballs, leafy greens, and dumplings.
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  The hallmark of sichuan hotpot is the intense flavor of “ma la” or numbing hot.  This type of spice is so unique and also gives you a burst of flavor.

  Sichuan Hotpot: Known for its spicy and numbing broth made with Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers. Ingredients often include thinly sliced meats, vegetables, tofu, and mushrooms.  As much as I love the flavor of Sichuan hotpot, sometimes my stomach cannot handle the various spices.  It can also be overpowering for some who cannot handle intense level of spiciness and heat.

• Mongolian Hotpot: Features a divided pot with a spicy broth on one side and a mild broth on the other. Diners can choose their preferred level of spiciness and cook ingredients like thinly sliced lamb, beef, and vegetables.

Korean Hotpot:

• Jeongol: A hearty and elaborate hotpot dish featuring various meats, seafood, vegetables, and noodles cooked in a flavorful broth. Common variations include kimchi jeongol, seafood jeongol, and beef jeongol.
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  This is the buda jigae which is also known as korean army stew hotpot which features an assortment of sausages, kimchi, ham and fish cakes.

  Budae Jjigae: Also known as “army stew,” this hotpot originated during the Korean War and features a spicy broth made with kimchi, gochujang (Korean chili paste), and various meats, such as Spam, hot dogs, and sausage, along with tofu, noodles, and vegetables.