🍲 Recipe · classic
Chongqing Mala Hot Pot 重庆麻辣火锅
The real thing — beef tallow broth, maodu and the 七上八下 method
The authentic Chongqing hot pot experience at home: rich beef-tallow mala broth, maodu (beef tripe) cooked with the 七上八下 method, premium ingredients and a sesame-paste dipping sauce. This recipe follows DB50/T 1288-2022 mala level guidance.
Broth Ingredients
- 200g beef tallow block (牛油) — see Standards Lab for quality grades
- 4 tbsp Pi Xian doubanjiang (郫县豆瓣酱, 3-year fermented)
- 20g dried Erjingtiao chillies, soaked 10 min
- 10g Sichuan pepper (花椒) — Grade 1 if available
- 1 tbsp black bean paste (豆豉)
- 3 cm piece old ginger (老姜), smashed
- 2 stalks large scallion, cut into 5cm sections
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 star anise
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom (草果)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp rock sugar
- 1 tsp MSG or 2 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1.5 L water or unsalted bone broth
Dipping Sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame paste, thinned with 2 tbsp warm water
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp chili oil (optional)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh scallion
At-Table Ingredients
Proteins
- 200g maodu (beef tripe / 毛肚) — pre-cleaned, pre-sliced
- 200g thinly sliced beef ribeye (肥牛)
- 150g duck intestine (鸭肠), optional
- 100g beef meatballs
Vegetables & Tofu
- 100g enoki mushrooms
- 100g napa cabbage
- 100g frozen tofu, thawed and sliced
- 80g lotus root, peeled and thinly sliced
- 50g spinach
Noodles (add near the end)
- 100g sweet potato noodles, soaked 30 min in cold water
Instructions
1
Build the broth base
Heat tallow in a wok over medium-high until melted and shimmering (~120°C). Add ginger and scallion — fry 2 min until fragrant (爆香). Add garlic, fry 1 min until golden. Reduce to medium-low.
2
Fry the doubanjiang
Add Pi Xian doubanjiang. Stir constantly for 20–25 min over medium-low heat until the oil turns deep red and the paste loses its raw smell. This step cannot be rushed — it builds all the flavour depth.
3
Add the chillies and Sichuan pepper
Add drained soaked chillies and stir 3 min. Add black bean paste and stir 2 min. Add Sichuan pepper last — sanshool degrades at sustained high heat.
4
Add spices and simmer
Add star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaves. Add water or bone broth. Bring to a rolling boil, then simmer 20 min. Add rock sugar, MSG and salt to taste. Strain if you prefer a cleaner broth.
5
Prepare the dipping sauce
Mix sesame paste with warm water until smooth. Add remaining sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust — more soy for salt, more vinegar for brightness, chili oil for heat.
6
Cook maodu with the 七上八下 method
Using long chopsticks, dip maodu into the boiling broth — 7 dips in, 8 out. Each dip is about 1 second. Total cook time: ~10–12 seconds. The tripe should be firm and slightly curled at the edges. Overcooked maodu turns rubbery. Eat immediately.
7
Cook remaining ingredients
Beef slices: 10–15 seconds until colour changes. Duck intestine: 8–12 seconds. Meatballs: 3–5 min until floating. Lotus root: 5–7 min. Enoki and cabbage: 1–2 min. Tofu: 3–4 min. Add noodles last — cook 5–8 min.
⚠️ Food Safety
Maodu (beef tripe): USDA safe internal temp 160°F/72°C — reached in rolling boil within the 七上八下 time
Duck intestine: USDA 165°F/74°C for poultry — ensure no pink tissue
Keep hot pot at a rolling boil throughout — not a gentle simmer for offal
💡 Tips
- Half-packet first: even Chongqing locals start with half the broth base — you can always add more
- Prep everything before you sit down: once the pot boils, cooking is fast and social
- Keep hot water in a kettle nearby — replenish the broth as it reduces
- The broth gets better as the evening progresses — more ingredients equal more depth