Spicy, tingly mala broth, which gets its inimitable sensation from a mix of chiles and Sichuan peppercorns, is on the menu at most hot pot restaurants. Each step in this homemade version from chef Eric Sze—toasting the spices, frying the chili bean paste and aromatics, gently boiling the broth—requires a small investment of time and love, but the payoff is huge. “Broths are the building blocks of your hot pot,” Sze says, and as you dip in umami-rich additions like mushrooms and meat, its flavor will only get richer.
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What you’ll need
Dutch Oven
$133 $80 At Amazon
Colander
$11 At Amazon
Small Skillet
$23 At Amazon
Mesh Sieve
$13 At Amazon
Ladle
$27 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
Makes about 2½ quarts
Ingredients
3
4
2
15
2
4
2
3
1
1
1
½
1
6
1½
Preparation
Step 1
Place beef bones in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot; pour in cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook 20 minutes. Drain bones in a colander (blanching the bones and discarding the liquid yields a clearer, tastier final broth). Rinse and wipe out pot; set aside.
Step 2
Toast star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and 15 dried chiles in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant and peppercorns are beginning to crackle, about 2 minutes. Transfer spices to a plate and let cool.
Step 3
Heat oil in reserved pot over high. Cook bean paste, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add onions, shallots, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Cook, still stirring, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in wine; cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until combined, about 30 seconds.
Step 4
Return bones to pot; add toasted spices, rock sugar, and soy sauce. Pour in 13 cups cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover pot and cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle boil, 4 hours.
Step 5
Using a fine-mesh sieve, scoop out solids from broth. Pick out any meat and set aside in a small bowl for serving if desired; discard remaining solids. Stir 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt into broth; taste and season with more salt if needed. Top with more dried chiles.
Do ahead: Broth (without topping) can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill, or freeze up to 3 months.
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Reviews (2)
Back to TopThis came out great. I didn't have quite enough time to boil the broth for 4 hours, so I settled for 3. We had such a fun time doing hot pot at home, and the broth was really delicious. We saved and froze what was left. We had a ton of veggies (yu choy, Shanghai baby bok choy, lotus root, radish, Napa cabbage, enoki and oyster mushrooms) as well as thinly sliced pork and beef, shrimp, and a variety of fish balls. I would definitely do it again! Equipment note: - I bought an Iwatani butane burner as it's more versatile than the electric induction type (can be used for car camping, travel, etc.). The fuel canisters were inexpensive at my local H-Mart. When it came time to eat, we set it on a sturdy metal sheet pan and kept a window open for ventilation. Ingredient notes: - I couldn't get chao tian jiao chiles in time, so I used a few dried japones chiles and a few Thai chiles (I always keep some in the freezer), and that worked great. - I had a Japanese brand of spicy bean paste (labeled "tobanjan," you can also look for "doubanjiang"). The step where you fry it creates some pretty intense fumes, so make sure you're ventilating well at that point!
Erica
Boston, MA
2/25/2022