Hot pot has been a staple of Chinese reunion dinners for centuries, symbolizing warmth, togetherness, and shared abundance. Among the many regional variations, Sichuan Yuan Yang Hot Pot (鸳鸯火锅) stands out for its two-broth split pot—one side filled with an intensely spicy, numbing mala broth, the other with a rich and comforting herbal chicken soup.
Mala Spices...
This dual-broth setup allows everyone at the table to choose their own adventure, whether they prefer fiery heat or a milder, soothing alternative. The mala broth, packed with Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, and fermented ingredients, delivers a signature tongue-tingling kick, while the chicken soup balances the meal with deep, nourishing flavors.
Mala Base...
What makes this hot pot special is the homemade mala sauce, crafted with aromatic spices, fermented black beans, and slow-cooked beef tallow to create a deeply complex and fragrant base. Instead of relying on store-bought sauces, this version allows you to control the intensity of spice and umami, making it even more flavorful and authentic.
The chicken soup base...
The chicken soup, slow-simmered with baked chicken bones, dried mushrooms, and traditional Chinese herbs, brings an earthy sweetness that perfectly complements the boldness of the mala side. Together, they create a perfect contrast—spicy and numbing on one side, smooth and soothing on the other.
Chinese herbs...
Whether you’re celebrating Chinese New Year or just craving a rich, warming meal to share with friends and family, this Yuan Yang Hot Pot is an experience in itself. With fresh seafood, handmade dumplings, noodles, mushrooms and tofu soaking up the flavorful broths, every bite is comforting and deeply satisfying.
My hot pot spread...
Plus, the dipping sauce made with garlic, sesame oil, and black vinegar adds an extra layer of fragrance and depth. If you've never made hot pot from scratch before, this is the year to try—it’s worth every step, and the result is a meal that brings everyone together around the table, just as it should be.
Ingredients:
(Serve 8)
Mala Sauce:
Beef Tallow (Recipe Follows), 500g Or store-bought
Dried Chilies, 100g Adjust To Prefernce I used a combination of Sichuan Dried and Lantern Peppers
Sichuan Red Peppercorns, 1.5 TBSP
Sichuan Green Peppercorns, 1.5 TBSP
Star Anise, 1
Cinnamon Sticks, 2
Bay Leaves, 2
Black Cardamom, 1
White Cardamoms, 10
Fennel Seeds, 5g
ShaoXing / Hua Tiao Wine, 4 TBSP
Red Onion Wedged, 1
Scallions Coarsely Sliced, 5 Stalks
Coriander Coarsely Sliced, A Handful
Garlic Crushed, 5 Cloves
Ginger Crushed, 2"
DouBanJiang | Chili Bean Paste, 50g
Fermented Black Beans Coarsely Chopped, 1 TBSP
Rock Sugar, 1 TBSP
Chicken Soup Base:
Chicken Carcasses, 4
Milk Powder, 1 TBSP
Sea Salt, Pinch
White Pepper, Pinch
Mushroom Powder, Pinch
Yellow Onions Wedged, 1
Carrots Obliqued, 2
Garlic Crushed, 5 Cloves
Ginger Crushed, 2"
Dried Mushrooms, 5
Jujubes Deseeded, 10
Dried Longan, 10
Wolfberries, 10g
Solomon's Seal | Yu Zhu, 15g
Dang Gui | Angelica Sinensis, 8g
Astragalus pPopinquus | Bei Qi, 8g
Codonopsis Pilosula | Dang Shen, 15g
ShaoXing / Hua Tiao Wine, 100g
Mala Hot Pot:
Whole Milk, 250g
Soy Sauce, 1 TBSP
Chinese Sesame Paste, 1 TBSP
Sea Salt, Pinch
Granulated Sugar, Pinch
Black Vinegar, 1 TBSP
Scallions Coarsely Chopped, A Handful
Coriander Coarsely Chopped, A Handful
Equipment:
Wok / Cast Iron Skillet / Pan
Spice Grinder
Sauce Pot
Large Pot
Food Processor / Hand Blender
Yuan Yang Hot Pot
Directions:
Prepare the mala sauce.
You can choose to make the beef tallow or use store-bought.
To make your own beef tallow, transfer about 1kg of beef fat to a skillet.
Add 1/2 cup of water to prevent burning.
Give it a quick mix, and wack to a preheated oven of 110 degree celsius or 230 fahrenheit, bake for 3 to 4 hrs or until the beef fat is crispy brown and the fat as rendered out. I usually use a combination of beef and chicken fat + skins.
Slice the dried chilies into sections and shake out the seeds.
Be careful not to rub your eyes with your hands.
Transfer the deseeded chilies to a pot of water making sure they are fully submerged.
Bring it up to a boil.
Cover and steep for 20 to 30 mins.
Meanwhile, add peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamoms and fennel over medium heat over a skillet.
Toast until aromatic.
Transfer to a spice grinder and blitz until powder forms.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add in the ShaoXing wine.
Mix until paste forms.
The chilies should be hydrated.
Drain and blitz the chilies in a food processor until paste forms. You can use a hand blender.
Set it aside until ready to use.
In a wok or skillet over medium heat, add beef tallow.
Stir and cook until the tallow has completely dissolved.
Add in onion, scallions, coriander, garlic and ginger.
Stir fry until aromatic.
Continue cooking until the garlic and ginger are almost caramelized.
Careful not to burn them.
Drain and discard all the residue.
Return about 2 TBSP of tallow to the wok or skillet over medium heat.
Add in the chili bean paste and black beans.
Stir fry until lightly caramelized and aromatic.
Add in the rest of the tallow, along with the chili paste
Stir fry until it turns a darker shade of red.
Followed by the spice blend.
Stir fry until aromatic and well combined.
Lastly, add in the rock sugar.
Stir and cook until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Taste and adjust for seasonings with sugar and salt.
Transfer to a container and chill in the fridge overnight.
It can be kept for 2 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.
Prepare the chicken soup base.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius or 400 fahrenheit.
Transfer chicken carcasses into a baking dish.
Sprinkle milk powder, salt, pepper and mushroom powder over the top.
Mix to coat well.
Wack into the oven and bake for 40 to 50 mins, flipping half way thru', or until the bones are browned.
Transfer the bones to a large pot.
Deglaze the baking dish with a splash of hot water. Take your time to deglaze as this is liquid gold.
Transfer the liquid to the pot and add in 2L of water.
Add in the rest of the ingredients and bring it up to a simmer.
Continue cooking for 10 mins.
Taste and adjust for seasonings with salt and pepper.
Cover and steep for 20 mins.
Drain and return the soup to the pot.
I like to reuse the ingredients like carrots, longans, jujubes, mushrooms and whatever meat I can shred from the carcasses. Transfer them to the pot.
Bring it up to a simmer.
Kill the heat and add in black vinegar and sesame oil.
Prepare the hot pot.
Add 50g of that chilled mala sauce to a skillet over medium heat.
Cook until the mala cube has dissolved.
Add a splash of water to deglaze.
Strain into 1 side of the hot pot.
Add milk along with 1 or 2 cups of water.
Stir to combine well.
Next, add soy sauce and sesame paste.
Taste and adjust for salt and sugar seasonings, or add more mala cubes to your preference.
Lastly, add the black vinegar.
Add the herbal chicken soup to the other side of the hot pot.
Garnish both sides of the hot pot with scallions and coriander.
Ingredients to serve along hot pot:
Handmade Noodles; Udon and Dried Handmade Noodles work great.
Any form of Tofu; Tofu skins work well.
Fish Balls, Shrimp Balls or Beef Balls
Dumplings
Fresh Shrimps, Beef Shabu-Shabu or even Spam
Mushrooms; Enoki works well.
Quail Eggs
Leafy Greens; Bok Choy or Nappa Cabbage
This would be perfect over some rice.
Or you can dip the cooked ingredients in a simple dipping sauce:
Toast Sesame Oil
Minced Garlic
Coarsely Chopped Coriander
Coarsely Chopped Scallions
Black Vinegar
Mix everything until well combined. Taste and adjust to your preference.
You can also use Bullhead's Sha Cha BBQ Sauce with some minced garlic as a dipping sauce.
Tofu puff...
Shabu-shabu beef...
Chicken herbal soup is nourishing...
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