Joanna James
The most significant differences between hotpot styles in Hong Kong is that among North and South: the North is mostly focused on the taste of the meat, while the South is all about the zest and richly seasoned soup.
The 'Bloom Hotpot' is a special kind of hotpot that originates from the Jiangsu-Zhejiang cooking styles and is most popular in Hangzhou and Suzhou. It is normally made with meat stock, and the hotpot elements are cooked together with chrysanthemum petals, emitting a delicate flavour. You might wonder if flowers will actually be pleasant to eat when served steamy and soup styled, but shockingly, this hotpot is loved by many people who have tried it, both natives and tourists alike. The flavour is mild and pleasant, much like a flower tea.
Meat is usually cooked in plain water or softly seasoned stock, with ginger, scallions and berries. Basically, all old-fashioned Beijing hotpot cafés will offer the sesame-based hot sauce Zhīmajiàng, which tastes to some degree like the Tahini sauce. In the south of Hong Kong, Zhīmajiàng is fairly less normal. In spite of the fact that it usually depends upon one's personal tastes, what one regards the 'best' hotpot varies vastly. Some may find that the fish head hotpot or meat hotpot from Northeast is the best, others might be put off by it. When dining in Hong Kong, look to places like Dorsett Mongkok for the best local flavours in hotpots.
Among the numerous stews used in a Chongqing hotpot, this dish is usually eaten with crisp máodù (dairy from an animal's stomach). For hot sauce, sesame oil is generally used to adjust the flavour. It is the pepper that gives Chongqing its 'desensitizing' hotness that makes your skin and mouth sting a bit. Studies show that even an atom of this Sichuan pepper triggers taste and touch receptors, which makes it feel as though the lips have been quickly electrocuted!
Crisp, fragrant, and fiery are the words that aptly describe this hotpot style; this dish has an assortment of different sauces blended with sesame oil and stew. Mint is a staple in the Yunnan region, and together with the flowers and other elements, the Yunnan hotpot smell is just overwhelming. Yunnan Hotpot eateries regularly have an assortment of astounding side dishes, for example, the crisp mint plate of mixed greens or the Yunnan-style fried crickets!
Shabu is a famous Chinese chain of hotpot built in 1998 that serves hotpot as a sort of cheap food; each customer gets their very own little pot and can choose a number of elements and sauces which will be promptly cooked and served. This could be eaten just as a mid-day break meal. The presentation; a little hotpot, is currently very popular in all parts of Hong Kong and this also makes eating a hotpot much simpler, much like getting a sandwich at Subway.
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