Sichuan Hot Pot Base

Make Sichuan Hot Pot Base At Home

It is very hard to buy good Sichuan hot pot base in the U.S. because most of the packets are highly processed to achieve longer shelf life. The most traditional hot pot in Sichuan is made with beef tallow, an animal fat ingredient that can’t be exported. Thus you can’t really buy the flavorful beef tallow hot pot base outside of China! However you can always make it at home!

What can you use Hot Pot Base for?

In addition to having spicy hot pot, you can also use your hot pot base to make dishes such as dry pot dishes, malatang hot pot and mala xiang guo stir-fry.

What is Szechuan Hot Pot?

Hot Pot is a popular food in Sichuan. I can’t describe the passion people have in Chengdu to have hot pot on any day, hot summer or cold winter. The spices and chilies in the hot pot soup base just rejuvenates people! And we love to gather together, cook around the hot pot and have a delightful meal full of different ingredients.

Beef Tallow

I purchased organic grass-fed beef tallow on Amazon and it comes in a big jar, enough to make a few servings of hot pot base. I’m very happy about the quality as well.

Spice Mix

• Dry Chilies – You can combine different kinds of chilies or use mild spicy level ones from Sichuan (Er Jing Tiao Chili)
• Sichuan pepper –  red, green or a mixture of both
• Star anise
• Cassia cinnamon – Also called Chinese cinnamon
• Bay leaves
• Chinese black cardamom – Also called “cao guo” in Chinese
• White cardamom
• Fennel seeds

Other Aromatics and Sauces

• Onion – Preferably use the purple onion
• Scallions
• Cilantro
• Ginger
• Sichuan chilli bean paste – Doubanjiang and use PiXian Doubanjiang if you can
• Fermented black beans – Also called “Dou Chi“, they need to be rinsed before using
• Rock sugar

Watch the full video here:

If you are interested in purchasing my handmade hotpot base in the U.S., visit my Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/YiSichuanKitchen

Sichuan Hot Pot Base

Spicy hot pot base made with tallow

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients

  

• 100  g dry chili about 4 cup
• 3 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn
• 4 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 500 g beef tallow
• 1 star anise
• 2 small pieces cassia cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Chinese black cardamom
• 10 White cardamom
• 5 g Fennel seeds
• 1/2 onion sliced
• 5 scallions cut into sections
• 1 handful cilantro
• 1 large piece ginger (sliced)
• 50 g Sichuan chilli bean paste  about 1/2 cup
• 1 tbsp fermented black beans rinsed
• 1 tbsp rock sugar

Method

 

1. Prepare about 100g of dry chili. Take out about 9 chilies for garnish later. Cut the chilies into sections and shake out the seeds. The purpose of this step is to release the seeds so the hot pot base is not too spicy. You can use a strainer to shake out even more seeds from the peppers.
2. Add boiling hot water to the chilies. Soak for 20 - 30 minutes.
3. While waiting, prepare the aromatics. Wash the cilantro to remove any dirt. Cut in half. Slice one large piece of peeled ginger. Slice half an onion. Chop green onion into sections.
4. Prepare and measure other ingredients
5. Drain the chilies. Add to a food processor. Blend until they become a coarse paste. You can also chop up the chilies with a knife or use a mortar and pestle.
6. Add shaoxing wine to the spice mix and Sichuan peppercorn. Mix well so everything is covered by the liquid. The purpose of shaoxing wine is to release the flavor of spices and prevent overcooking.
7. Add beef tallow to a wok or large pot. Turn on the heat to melt tallow completely. Drop in the aromatics. Slowly fry for about 10-15 minutes until the aromatics start to brown. Take out the aromatics with a strainer. Reduce heat to low or turn off the heat during this step to prevent overheating.
8. Gently put in the chili paste and stir. Add in the spices. Remember to drain the cooking wine before putting them in. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
9. Add Sichuan Doubanjiang and fermented black beans. Simmer for 8 minutes while gently stirring from time to time to avoid sticking to the bottom.
10. Add Sichuan peppercorn and sugar. Cook for 2 more minutes.
11. Turn off the heat and let cool for a while.
12. Pour the oil, along with the solid content, into a heat resistant container. Stir to even out the mixture. Add the bayleaf and leftover dried chilies for garnishing on top.
13. After leaving in the fridge for 24 hours, the hot pot base is fully solidified. Cut the solidified soup base into four small blocks. You can now store the leftover soup base blocks for 2 weeks in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Video