Chinese Hotpot Culture: Regional Charm in Three Flavors
Chinese hotpot is a "living fossil" of Chinese food culture; in a pot of boiling soup base, lies the climate and humanity of different regions. From the southwest mountains to the Sichuan-Chongqing Basin, Guizhou Sour Soup Hotpot, Yunnan Mushroom Hotpot, and Chongqing Hotpot each have their own unique features, interpreting the liveliness and warmth of "gathering around the stove to eat" with different ways of eating, flavors, and dip sauces.
Guizhou Sour Soup Hotpot is the ultimate expression of "sourness". The soup base is divided into white sour and red sour: white sour is fermented from glutinous rice, fresh and sweet with a aftertaste; red sour is added with local chili and tomatoes, spicy and sour, with a fruity aroma. The way of eating emphasizes "meat first, then vegetables". Fresh paddy field fish is a classic match; the fish is boiled in the sour soup for 5-8 minutes, and becomes tender and non-fishy after absorbing the soup. Then add pork belly and fat beef; the fat melts into the soup to make it more mellow. Finally, blanch vegetables and tofu to balance the sour taste. The dip sauce is the "soul" of Guizhou Sour Soup Hotpot. The favorite Houttuynia Cordata Dip of locals is based on chopped Houttuynia cordata, added with fermented bean curd, litsea cubeba oil, chopped green onions, and salt. The unique aroma of litsea cubeba echoes with the sour soup, making it spicy and appetizing in one bite, showing the vitality of Guizhou's mountains.
Yunnan Mushroom Hotpot is the "ceiling of freshness". The soup base is based on clear soup boiled with local chicken or pork ribs, which maximizes the original flavor of mushrooms. The way of eating focuses on "slowness and freshness". Precious mushrooms such as matsutake, boletus, and termite mushroom must be put into the pot first, boiled on high heat and then simmered on low heat for 20 minutes. After the mushroom aroma is fully released, drink a bowl of soup first, which is so fresh that it leaves a fragrant aftertaste in the mouth. Then you can blanch fresh meat and mushroom balls; the ingredients become more delicious after absorbing the mushroom aroma. It should be noted that mushrooms must be cooked thoroughly to avoid poisoning. The dip sauce is mostly Xiaomi Chili Dip, made with Xiaomi chili rings, garlic paste, coriander, light soy sauce, and a little soup base. The spiciness is mild, which can enhance the freshness without covering the natural aroma of mushrooms, showing the pure flavor of Yunnan Plateau.
Chongqing Hotpot is a "carnival of spiciness". The soup base is based on beef tallow, matched with dozens of spices such as dried chili, Sichuan pepper, and star anise. After boiling, it is bright red and thick, spicy and mellow, and becomes more fragrant as it boils. There are rules for eating: "seven lifts and eight dips" is the trick for blanching tripe and duck intestines——lift the tripe seven times and soak it eight times in the boiling soup, and it will be crispy and tender in about 10 seconds. Beef aorta and pig brain need to be boiled for more than 5 minutes to become soft and flavorful. Ingredients such as luncheon meat and tofu skin are durable for boiling and suitable for long stewing. The dip sauce is mainly Sesame Oil and Garlic Dip. Sesame oil can wrap the ingredients, balance the spiciness and protect the stomach. Adding garlic paste, oyster sauce, and a little salt, this simple combination can balance the spiciness of the hotpot, making each bite spicy but not dry, showing the boldness and enthusiasm of Chongqing people.
These three types of hotpot are the epitome of Chinese hotpot culture: the vitality of sour soup, the purity of mushrooms, and the richness of beef tallow are not only differences in taste, but also expressions of regional culture. When gathering around the stove, what is boiled in the hot soup is not only ingredients, but also the Chinese life philosophy of "reunion and sharing".
