Sichuan Hot Pot

Sichuan Hot Pot

　　Sichuan hot pot is a distinctive flavor within Sichuan cuisine, unique in its style and renowned both domestically and internationally. Although hot pot has existed since ancient times, its preparation techniques gradually developed in modern times. Sichuan hot pot is made with a broth prepared using a variety of ingredients and seasonings such as beef bone broth, solid beef tallow, broad bean paste, chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns. Once boiled, cleaned ingredients such as tripe, fish slices, eel slices, and duck blood can be added to the pot to cook. The cooked ingredients are then dipped in a sesame oil sauce and eaten, offering a taste that is numbing, spicy, hot, fresh, tender, and crispy. Early versions of hot pot mainly featured tripe, but over time it evolved to include various meats and vegetables. Initially, it was mostly consumed during the cold winter months, but now people enjoy it all year round. Moreover, there are many varieties of hot pot, including red broth, white broth, and duality pots (half spicy, half mild), as well as spare rib hot pot, tripe hot pot, and pickled vegetable hot pot. There are also chicken hot pot, duck hot pot, and rabbit hot pot, among others. Sichuan people love hot pot and often serve it as a special dish for guests. (Chengdu)