🍲 Hot Pot 101
30+Ingredients
7Broth Types
8Regional Styles
4AI Tools
3DIY Guides
📖 New to Hot Pot?

Start Here

Three guides, in order. Read them once and you'll know everything you need.

01
🍲

How to Hot Pot

Equipment, broth choice, what to buy, cooking order, safety tips. The complete beginner walkthrough.

Read Guide →
02
⏱

Cooking Times

Exact cook times for 40+ ingredients. Never overcook beef (15 sec!) or undercook shrimp again.

See Chart →
03
🥣

Dipping Sauces

5 classic Chinese hot pot sauce recipes with exact measurements. Mix your own at the table.

Get Recipes →
🛒 Interactive Builder

Build Your Hot Pot

Shop the shelf, pick your pot and broth — get a complete shopping list in seconds.

1
Ingredients
2
Pot
3
Broth
4
Cook!
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Choose Your Pot

Choose Your Broth Base

🍲 Soup Bases

Choose Your Broth

The broth is the soul of the meal. Pick the wrong one and nothing else matters.

Sichuan Mala Broth Extreme

Sichuan Mala Broth

四川麻辣锅底

Fiery, numbing, oily, deeply complex

Full Guide →
Clear Bone Broth No Spice

Clear Bone Broth

清汤锅底

Clean, mildly savory, subtly sweet, pure

Full Guide →
Tomato Broth No Spice

Tomato Broth

番茄汤底

Sweet, tangy, bright, naturally umami-rich

Full Guide →
Mushroom Broth No Spice

Mushroom Broth

菌菇汤底

Earthy, deep umami, woodsy, subtly sweet

Full Guide →
All 7 Broths →
🤖 AI Tool

Ingredient Decoder

See something on the menu you don't recognize? Enter the Chinese name, pinyin, or English — get the full story instantly.

  • 📖 What it is and where it comes from
  • 👅 Flavor, texture, cooking time
  • 🌶️ Spice level and beginner rating
  • 🍲 Best broths to pair with it
Full Decoder Tool → Can I Hot Pot It? →

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🥩 Encyclopedia

Popular Ingredients

Explore 30+ ingredients — what they are, how to cook them, and which broth they love.

Wagyu Beef Slices

Wagyu Beef Slices

肥牛片

Meat ⏱ 20–30 seconds
Lamb Slices

Lamb Slices

羊肉片

Meat ⏱ 20–40 seconds
Pork Belly

Pork Belly

五花肉

Meat ⏱ 1–2 minutes
Beef Tripe (Maodu)

Beef Tripe (Maodu)

毛肚

Meat ⏱ 10–20 seconds
Duck Intestine

Duck Intestine

鸭肠

Meat ⏱ 10–15 seconds
Beef Tendon

Beef Tendon

牛蹄筋

Meat ⏱ 3–5 minutes (pre-braised, just needs heating)
Chicken Slices

Chicken Slices

鸡片

Meat ⏱ 1–2 minutes
Beef Meatballs

Beef Meatballs

牛肉丸

Meat ⏱ 3–5 minutes
Luncheon Meat (Spam)

Luncheon Meat (Spam)

午餐肉

Meat ⏱ 2–3 minutes
Fresh Shrimp

Fresh Shrimp

鲜虾

Seafood ⏱ 2–3 minutes
Squid

Squid

鱿鱼

Seafood ⏱ 1–2 minutes
Fish Tofu

Fish Tofu

鱼豆腐

Seafood ⏱ 3–5 minutes
Browse All Ingredients →
🗺️ Regional Styles

China's Hot Pot Map

Each region of China has its own unique style. Click to explore.

🌶🌶🌶 Sichuan Spicy & numbing 🔥 Chongqing Intensely bold 🥩 Chaoshan Fresh beef 🏺 Beijing Clear & elegant 🍄 Yunnan Wild mushroom 🌿 Cantonese Light & fresh 🥥 Hainan Coconut chicken 🍅 Shanghai Tomato broth
Explore All Styles →
❓ Quick Answers

Hot Pot FAQ

What is Chinese hot pot?
Chinese hot pot is a communal cooking method where diners cook raw ingredients in a simmering broth at the table. It dates back over 1,000 years and is one of China's most beloved dining traditions.
Is hot pot always spicy?
No. While Sichuan and Chongqing styles are famously spicy, many regional styles like Chaoshan beef hot pot, coconut chicken, and mushroom broth are completely mild. Most restaurants offer a split pot (yin-yang) so you can choose.
What do I need to make hot pot at home?
You need a hot pot cooker or electric pot, broth or soup base, your choice of ingredients (meat, vegetables, tofu, noodles), and a dipping sauce. Our Hot Pot Builder tool can generate a personalized shopping list for you.
What is the most popular hot pot ingredient?
Thinly sliced beef is the most universally loved ingredient, followed by maodu (beef tripe), fish balls, tofu skin, and enoki mushrooms. Maodu is a must-try for anyone visiting a Sichuan-style restaurant.
How long do I cook hot pot ingredients?
It depends on the ingredient. Thin beef slices cook in 20-30 seconds. Maodu takes only 10-20 seconds for maximum crunch. Vegetables like lotus root and potatoes take 3-5 minutes. Our cooking time guide has the full breakdown.
Full Beginner Guide →