So, shabu-shabu/hot pot?

RedRajah

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For our anniversary, we went to a high-end shabu-shabu place. Phenomenal stuff. And with the weather getting colder, we're looking at trying to make this at home. I already like to make homemade stocks and attempting to make homemade dashi is on my queue as well.

Any advice folks can give so we just don't end up with a broth fondue?
 

Snitchcat

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Essentially, you only want soup seasoned, so keep all thickening agents out of the soup. If you must use stock with thickening agents in it, then make sure you have approximately a third more water to start with. Top up with more just-boiled / hot water as you go (not cold or room temperature).

As far as flame / heat control goes, do what you did at the shabu-shabu restaurant: lower the heat when the water has boiled, increase the heat to boil or cook raw meat, etc.

And make sure wherever you're having hot pot that it's well-ventilated! You can easily turn your dining room / house into a sauna if you don't open the windows, or have some sort of extractor fan. Alternatively, consider a wind-protected area on the patio / in the garden. If you have an awning, rain / snow won't be a problem, but obviously, being outside depends on the wind chill temperature.
 
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Enlightened

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If you do Chinese hot pots, and oil is your base, the longer it heats, the more concentrated the spicy gets (because water boils out of the oil).
 

Snitchcat

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If you do Chinese hot pots, and oil is your base, the longer it heats, the more concentrated the spicy gets (because water boils out of the oil).

Not true.

There are many different soup bases. Oil is only one.
 

Enlightened

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RedRajah: I did a shabu shabu in the backyard, years ago. I bought some landscaping bricks from the local home and garden store (like Home Depot). I did it over a cheap fire pit table. It worked great! I put a kettle BBQ grill grate across the fire. I used a vegetable stock, bought from the store. We ate poolside. I did not do dashi or a fume (fish stock), because we used thin-sliced beef and pork. I did not want a fish taste on terrestrial meats.

Not true.

There are many different soup bases. Oil is only one.

I never noted oil is the only base. If x (Chinese hot pot) and if y (oil base) then z (concentrated heat). X and y are conditions of z.

I prefer Sichuan hot pots. The ones that cause sweat exuding everywhere on the back of the head and neck. :D
 
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Snitchcat

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I never noted oil is the only base. If x (Chinese hot pot) and if y (oil base) then z (concentrated heat). X and y are conditions of z.

I prefer Sichuan hot pots. The ones that cause sweat exuding everywhere on the back of the head and neck. :D

Ah, yes, a re-read states "if... and...". My bad; apologies.

On the flip side, though, oil is not always spicy, either. Certainly is for Sichuan, but again, that's only one style of. :)