Hina Jafri

🫕 THE ULTIMATE HOTPOT GUIDE

The most requested recipe is finally here and yes, it’s easier than it looks!

Hotpot is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Once you prep, you barely need to lift a finger. Let’s break it down into 3 simple parts:

1. 🔥 BROTH - The Soul of the Hotpot

This is where the magic starts.
You can choose from a few popular broths:
• Tom Yum (my go-to — zesty, punchy)
• Mala (tongue-numbing, restaurant-style)
• Tomato or Mushroom (for a milder base)

📍 Find broth pastes at:
• London: Tian Tian, Chinatown
• Toronto: T&T, Ethnic Supermarket, Chinatown
(No paste? Try Food Fusion’s homemade broth)

💡 To build your broth:
1. Heat sesame oil
2. Sauté spring onion, ginger, garlic
3. Add a chicken stock cube + broth paste
4. Fry for a few mins
5. Add boiling water bit by bit - keep tasting!
6. Optional: Kaffir lime + lemongrass (for Tom Yum)

🥄 Your broth should be smooth, rich, and punchy.

2. 🥢 ADD-ONS - Get Creative

This is your playground! Here’s what I usually include:

Proteins:
• Thin-sliced beef or chicken (freeze before slicing)
• Marinate in sesame oil, garlic, ginger, or sriracha
• Tofu, sausages, prawns

Carbs:
• Ramen, udon, or rice noodles
• Tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes)
• Dumplings - homemade or frozen
(Skip rice – it usually goes untouched!)

Veggies:
• Bok choy, corn, mushrooms, napa cabbage; anything you love!

3. 🥣 SAUCES - The Secret Weapon

This is what elevates your hotpot game.

🌶 Spicy Peanut Sauce (a table favorite!)
• Peanut butter
• Sriracha
• Lime juice
• Honey

🌿 Sesame Garlic Sauce
• Tahini
• Minced garlic
• Lemon juice
• Optional: fish sauce

🍜 Other Must-Haves
• Chili oil + chopped scallions
• Ginger soy (ginger + soy sauce + honey)

💡 Host’s Tip:

Serve it like a pro, then casually say,
“Oh, it was so much work…” 😉

📸 Save it

Try this at your next gathering and thank me later!
Tag me if you make it 🫶