Sichuan Ma La Huo Guo

Sichuan hot pot is less a single dish than an institution — a communal ritual of cooking and eating that has been practised in Chongqing and Chengdu since at least the late Qing dynasty, when boatmen on the Yangtze cooked offal in spiced tallow at riverside stalls. The hallmark of the broth is its dual assault: ma (the numbing tingle of Sichuan peppercorn) and la (the fiery heat of dried chilli), balanced in beef tallow to carry the fat-soluble spices deep into every ingredient.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Hot Pot Broth

• 200g (7 oz) beef tallow (or vegetable shortening)
• 100g (3.5 oz) Pixian doubanjiang (fermented chilli bean paste)
• 50g (2 oz) dried facing-heaven chillies (chaotianjiao), seeds removed
• 30g (1 oz) Sichuan peppercorns (huajiao)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 30g (1 oz) fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 tbsp (30ml) Shaoxing wine
• 2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom pods

Dipping Sauce

• 3 tbsp (45ml) sesame paste
• 2 tbsp (30ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp (15ml) chilli oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Spring onions and coriander, chopped

Suggested Dipping Ingredients

• Thinly sliced beef (ribeye or brisket), 300g (10 oz)
• Lamb shoulder, thinly sliced, 200g (7 oz)
• Firm tofu, cubed, 200g (7 oz)
• Enoki mushrooms, 1 bunch
• Napa cabbage leaves
• Bean thread noodles, 100g (3.5 oz), soaked

Instructions

1. Melt tallow in a wok over medium heat. Add doubanjiang and fry, stirring constantly, 5-6 minutes until oil turns deep red and fragrant.
2. Add dried chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and cardamom. Fry 3-4 minutes more.
3. Add Shaoxing wine and sugar. Stir 1 minute, then pour in chicken stock. Simmer 20 minutes. Strain or leave whole based on preference.
4. Transfer broth to a tabletop hot pot vessel or electric pot. Bring to a boil at the table.
5. Mix all dipping sauce ingredients, divide into individual bowls.
6. Diners cook their own ingredients in the bubbling broth — beef and lamb take 30-60 seconds; tofu and vegetables 2-3 minutes; noodles 3-4 minutes.

Cook's Notes: The Pixian doubanjiang is irreplaceable — aged Pixian paste from Sichuan province has a complexity that no substitute can match. Beef tallow is traditional and makes the broth richer; keep a small cup of extra broth nearby to top up as the level drops.