Hot Pot Broth (火锅汤底) – Mild and Spicy in a Yuanyang Pot

A yuanyang pot has a divider in the middle. Into one half you pour clear chicken broth with ginger, red dates and goji berries, into the other a red mala broth of chili bean paste, dried chilies and Sichuan pepper. This way you eat hot pot from one pot with guests who don't like heat.

By Laura Chen· November 4, 2026

1 Stdtotal

4servings

300kcal

ChineseCuisine ›

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For the spicy side, fry the chili bean paste in oil over low heat for 3 minutes, until the oil turns red. Don't turn the heat higher, or the paste burns and tastes bitter. Only then add the chilies, Sichuan pepper and spices. Cook both broths 30 minutes ahead, then pour them into the pot on the table. Liquid cooks away over the evening, so keep a liter of broth hot for topping up.

You find ingredients for the pot at Huo guo, and more on the mala seasoning at Szechuan hot pot. With dashi instead of chicken broth you cook Yosenabe.

Image: AI-generated.

Hot Pot Broth (火锅汤底) – Mild and Spicy in a Yuanyang Pot

Name: Hot Pot Broth (火锅汤底) – Mild and Spicy in a Yuanyang Pot
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1.5 l chicken broth; 30 g ginger, sliced; 2 scallions, in pieces; 4 dried shiitake mushrooms; 6 dried red dates (jujube); 1 tbsp goji berries; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp ground white pepper; 100 ml vegetable oil; 30 g ginger, sliced; 6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed; 3 tbsp chili bean paste (doubanjiang); 1 tbsp fermented black beans, chopped; 20 g dried chili peppers, halved; 2 tbsp Sichuan pepper; 2 star anise; 1 cinnamon stick; 2 bay leaves; 15 g rock sugar or sugar; 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine; 1.5 l chicken broth or water

Laura Chen

Servings

Prep time

20 Minuten

Cook time

40 Minuten

Calories

300

Cuisine

Chinese

Ingredients

Mild broth:

1.5 l chicken broth
30 g ginger, sliced
2 scallions, in pieces
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
6 dried red dates (jujube)
1 tbsp goji berries
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Spicy mala broth:

100 ml vegetable oil
30 g ginger, sliced
6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
3 tbsp chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
1 tbsp fermented black beans, chopped
20 g dried chili peppers, halved
2 tbsp Sichuan pepper
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
15 g rock sugar or sugar
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
1.5 l chicken broth or water

Instructions

Soak the shiitake in hot water for 20 minutes and halve them. Cut open the chili peppers and shake out the seeds; the seeds make the broth bitter.
For the mild side, bring the broth, ginger, scallions, shiitake with soaking water and dates to a boil. Simmer everything gently for 30 minutes.
For the spicy side, heat the oil in a second pot. Fry the ginger and garlic for 2 minutes over medium heat, until fragrant.
Turn to low heat and stir in the chili bean paste. Fry it for 3 minutes, stirring, until the oil is red, and add the black beans.
Add the chilies, Sichuan pepper, star anise, cinnamon and bay leaves and stir for 1 minute. Deglaze with the rice wine, pour in the broth and add the sugar.
Simmer the spicy broth for 30 minutes. In the last 5 minutes add the goji berries to the mild broth and season it with salt and white pepper.
Pour both broths into the halves of the yuanyang pot and set it on the burner at the table. Keep 1 l hot broth ready for topping up.

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Hot Pot Broth (火锅汤底) – Mild and Spicy in a Yuanyang Pot

Ingredients

Mild broth:

Spicy mala broth:

Instructions

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