Hot Pot Daly City: A Cozy Dipping Feast at Home

Hot pot in Daly City usually means a shared Chinese-style meal: diners simmer thinly sliced meat, vegetables, tofu, and noodles in a bubbling broth, then dip each bite in a personalized sauce. This practical home version uses a split broth—mild on one side and chile-spiced on the other—so everyone can cook at the table at their own pace.

Ingredients

8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
2 cups (480 ml) water
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil
4 scallions (about 60 g), divided; 2 cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces and 2 thinly sliced
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger (about 20 g), sliced
4 garlic cloves (about 20 g), lightly crushed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, optional
2 tablespoons (30 g) doubanjiang (fermented broad-bean chile paste), for the spicy broth
1 teaspoon (2 g) Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed, optional
12 ounces (340 g) beef sirloin, very thinly sliced
8 ounces (225 g) boneless chicken thigh, very thinly sliced
8 ounces (225 g) firm tofu, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
8 ounces (225 g) napa cabbage, cut into bite-size pieces
6 ounces (170 g) shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed and caps sliced
6 ounces (170 g) enoki mushrooms, roots trimmed and clusters separated
8 ounces (225 g) daikon radish, peeled and thinly sliced
6 ounces (170 g) fresh wheat noodles, or 4 ounces (115 g) dried noodles
4 ounces (115 g) baby spinach
For dipping sauce: ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Chinese sesame paste or tahini, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water, and 1 tablespoon (10 g) sliced scallion
Optional sauce additions: chile oil, minced garlic, cilantro, or sesame seeds, to taste

Instructions

Arrange the sliced beef and chicken on separate plates and keep them refrigerated while you prepare the broth and vegetables. Cut the tofu and vegetables, placing raw meat well apart from ready-to-eat ingredients. Set out separate utensils or chopsticks for raw meat and cooked food.
Make the dipping sauce: whisk the soy sauce, sesame paste, rice vinegar, sesame oil, water, and sliced scallion until smooth. Add a little more water if you prefer a thinner sauce. Put optional toppings in small bowls so diners can customize their portions.
For a mild broth, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallion pieces; cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant but not browned. Pour in 6 cups (1.4 L) of broth, 1 cup (240 ml) water, and the soy sauce and Shaoxing wine if using. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 10 minutes. Strain out the aromatics if desired.
For the spicy broth, warm the doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorns in a second saucepan over low heat for about 1 minute. Add the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) broth and 1 cup (240 ml) water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Doubanjiang is a salty, fermented chile-and-bean paste; if it is unavailable, use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) chile-garlic sauce and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) miso, understanding that the broth will be less fermented and less complex.
Transfer the broths to the two sections of a divided hot-pot cooker, or choose one broth and pour it into a tabletop electric cooker. Bring the broth to a steady simmer at the table, following the appliance instructions. If using a regular pot, keep it on the stove and serve in batches; do not put a standard saucepan on an unsuitable tabletop burner.
Add a few pieces of daikon and mushrooms to each broth and simmer for about 5 minutes to flavor it. Keep the remaining ingredients arranged on platters, and replenish the broth with hot broth or water if the level drops. Keep raw chicken and beef separate from cooked items and dipping sauces.
Cook small portions at a time. Swish thin beef slices in simmering broth until cooked through; cook chicken pieces until the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer—the USDA FSIS safe minimum for poultry. Bring raw meat to the boil in the broth rather than letting the pot fall below a simmer, and avoid crowding it. Fish or shellfish, if substituted, must reach 145°F (63°C).
Add tofu, cabbage, mushrooms, and spinach to the pot and simmer until hot and tender, generally 2–5 minutes depending on the ingredient. Cook fresh noodles according to their package directions in the broth near the end of the meal, or cook them separately and divide among bowls. Use a clean ladle for broth and clean utensils for cooked food.

Tips

Ask a butcher to slice beef thinly for hot pot, or partially freeze a piece of boneless beef for 30–45 minutes so it is easier to slice very thinly. Keep it chilled until serving.
For a one-pot meal, use just the mild broth and add chile oil or doubanjiang to individual bowls. This is easier for guests who prefer different spice levels.
Do not dip raw-meat chopsticks into sauce or use them to pick up cooked food. Use separate serving tongs, spoons, and chopsticks to limit cross-contamination.
Broths and sauces are salty, and doubanjiang varies by brand. Taste the broth before serving and adjust with water or unsalted broth rather than adding soy sauce automatically.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the hot pot with steamed rice, extra scallions, cilantro, chile oil, and the sesame-soy sauce. Put only a small amount of food into the cooker at a time, allowing diners to cook and eat in rounds. A bowl of broth poured over cooked noodles makes a satisfying finish. Keep raw ingredients chilled and replenish serving platters in small batches rather than leaving them out throughout the meal.

Variations

Make the meal vegetarian with vegetable broth, tofu, napa cabbage, mushrooms, daikon, leafy greens, and frozen dumplings labeled vegetarian. For a seafood option, offer peeled shrimp or thin fish slices separately and cook them in the simmering broth to 145°F (63°C). Udon, glass noodles, and rice cakes can replace wheat noodles; add them according to their package directions, since cooking times vary. For a richer Sichuan-style broth, add more doubanjiang and a little chile oil, but begin modestly because both heat and salt build quickly.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover broth and cooked ingredients within 2 hours, in separate shallow, covered containers. Cooked leftovers keep for 3–4 days in a refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Discard raw meat that has sat at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F (32°C); do not save it with cooked leftovers. Reheat broth and cooked food on the stove until steaming throughout and at least 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. Do not repeatedly cool and reheat the shared hot-pot broth; portion out what you expect to eat and refrigerate the rest promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make hot pot without a divided cooker?
Yes. Use one broth in a regular pot on the stove and cook ingredients in batches, or use a tabletop cooker approved for hot-pot use. A divided cooker is convenient, not essential.

How thin should the meat be?
Aim for slices about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick or thinner. Thin slices cook quickly in simmering broth. If you cannot slice it safely at home, ask a butcher for hot-pot or shabu-shabu slices.

Can I prepare the ingredients ahead?
Yes. Slice vegetables and mix the dipping sauce up to a day ahead, then cover and refrigerate them. Keep raw meat covered on a separate tray in the refrigerator and bring it out just before cooking.

What can I use instead of sesame paste?
Tahini is a convenient substitute, though it tastes less nutty and more sharply sesame-forward than Chinese sesame paste. Thin either one with water a teaspoon at a time, then balance the sauce with soy sauce or vinegar.

Can I save the broth after the meal?
Only save broth that has been handled safely and refrigerated within 2 hours. Strain it, cool it promptly in a shallow container, and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. Because ingredients have cooked in the broth, reheat it to 165°F (74°C) before serving; discard it if it was left out too long.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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