Song Yingwen

HAVING a hotpot meal may be the simplest way to warm the body in cool winters. That’s the easiest way to explain the popularity of hotpot in autumn and winter, even in the subtropical city of Shenzhen, where the temperature seldom drops below 10 degrees centigrade.

But the explanation may not sit well with hotpot lovers, as the answer simply ignores the most basic yet most important factor that makes the dish a seasonal favorite: the taste.

After years of development, dozens of varieties of hotpot have evolved from the original pure-water hotpot. Now, there is seafood, mushroom, fish and even a chocolate hotpot. Hotpot tastes are therefore quite diversified, but the most popular still top the list.

Lamb hotpot

The original lamb hotpot that has come down from northern China usually uses pure water as the broth, with only onions and dried shrimp as the basic ingredients.

The cooking method, similar to Cantonese cooking, is believed to be the best way to preserve the freshness and taste of lamb.

But the traditional style has been reshuffled by Little Lamb (小肥羊火锅) and Suwu Muyang hotpot restaurants (苏武牧羊) in recent years.

In Little Lamb, the pure-water broth is replaced by a thick broth boiled down from lamb and more than 60 herbs.

The taste of the broth is so strong that meat and vegetables taste good enough even without any extra sauces. The health effect, an important factor taken into consideration, is of course more than warming the body. The herbs are said to be able to help boost one’s energy.

In Suwu Muyang, the importance attached to broth is even greater. The recipe, developed from a secret method that originated in the Han Dynasty, is said to include precious materials like lamb bones, yak bones, shark bones, turtle shells, antlers of a young stag and ginseng.

Chaozhou-style hotpot

The favorite hotpot for Cantonese people might be the Chaozhou-style hotpot. Two features of this hotpot are the pure beef broth and meatballs made of fresh beef.

An example of Chaozhou-style hotpot can be found at the Xiaoshanniu hotpot restaurant (小山牛鲜涮火锅), which offers quality beef from almost every part of the animal.

Broth here is light but fresh and sweet enough to make it a good soup, just the way Cantonese prefer their food. But people who favor strong-tasting food may find it a little bland and unstimulating.

Korean-style hotpot

Speaking of stimulation, a Korean-style hotpot that is gaining wider popularity is worth trying. Popular Korean hotpots are the kimchi hotpot and the pickled vegetables hotpot. Sour in taste, these hotpots can readily stimulate your appetite with dazzling ingredients and fresh taste.

Sichuan-style hotpot

A popular hotpot that should not be overlooked is the Sichuan-style hotpot, which can be found at the Huashen hotpot restaurant (华神火锅).

The essence of Sichuan hotpot lies in the broth, which contains oil, wine, sugar, spice and Chinese prickly ash. It may not be a good idea to drink the broth of a Sichuan hotpot, but the numbing spicy food with a unique fragrance makes it one of a kind.