Hot Pot

Hot pot (steam bowl) is one of my favorite food. As a child, my happiest time would be waiting for my father lighting old style metal steam bowl (flaming coal inside) before dinner. The preparation of a hot pot meal involves washing and cutting vegetables and meats, and making source. Mushrooms, fresh green leaf vegetables, tofu, fish balls, sliced lamb and beef, seafood, eggs, bean noodles and so much more can be cooked in a small steam bowl and the soup is full of flavor (sometimes can be oily). Especially in cold winter, steam bowl can be a perfect meal for a family of three as well as a large gathering. High quality materials are important for a good steam bowl meal, however traditionally, the source and the soup paste are the most important elements in the whole meal. Some commercial steam bowl restaurants use their own secretly home made source and paste to attract customers. Today’s hot pot does not have many ingredients, but the best meal I had since I come back, simple but delicious.