Sichuan Hot Pot Soup Base (川式清油火锅底料)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
35 mins
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Servings
16 servings (4 hot pot soup bases)
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Calories
328 kcal
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
Chinese
Sichuan Hot Pot Soup Base (川式清油火锅底料)
Description
To create this hot pot base, whole spices are first ground into small flakes to release aroma without powdering. Aromatics like garlic, ginger, and green onions are cooked gently in rapeseed oil until fragrant but not browned. Fermented doubanjiang and black bean paste are added and cooked briefly to deepen their flavor. The ground spices are then incorporated and simmered for about 10 minutes until the oil develops an orange-red color indicative of full infusion.
Sweetness and depth are balanced with rock sugar, Shaoxing wine, and mushroom bouillon powder. After cooking, the base is cooled before blending to achieve a smooth consistency, enhancing texture and flavor uniformity. Additional dried chili peppers and crushed Sichuan peppercorns are used as garnish to emphasize heat and mouth-numbing sensations typical of Sichuan cuisine.
This hot pot base provides a spicy, layered broth suitable for cooking a variety of meats, vegetables, and tofu in communal meals. It can be customized by adjusting oil types or chili quantities to moderate richness or heat intensity. Including tallow or other fats can enrich the mouthfeel and help the base solidify at room temperature, useful for storage.
A note: blending the cooled mixture is done with an open air vent to safely release steam during processing. The preparation yields a stable, flavorful base that forms the heart of traditional Sichuan hot pot experience.
Ingredients
Spices
- 1/3 cup Sichuan peppercorn
- 1/2 cup dried chili peppers
- 2 cinnamon stick
- 4 bay leaf
- 2 star anise pods
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
Base
- 2 1/2 cups rapeseed oil (or other neutral oil) (*Footnote 1)
- 6 cloves garlic , chopped
- 4 ” (10 cm) ginger , chopped
- 4 to 6 green onions , chopped
- 1/2 cup doubanjiang
- 3 tablespoons fermented black beans (or black bean paste/sauce)
- 1 teaspoon rock sugar (or white sugar)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 3 tablespoons mushroom bouillon powder (or chicken bouillon powder)
- 12 dried chili peppers (for garnish) (*Footnote 2)
- 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorn crushed (for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all the spices in a blender or food processor. Mix until the spices turn into small flakes but not powdered.
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot or 9” deep pan over low heat until medium hot (if you add a small piece of garlic it should sizzle gently and not bubble furiously). Add the garlic, ginger, and green onion. Cook and stir until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes.
- Carefully add the doubanjiang and fermented black beans to the oil. Cook and stir for another minute.
- Add the blended spices. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. The oil should reach a vibrant orange-red color when it’s ready.
- Add the sugar, Shaoxing wine, and mushroom powder. Stir until dissolved.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 10 to 20 minutes (or longer if you have a non-heat proof blender).
- Add the cooled hot pot base mixture to the blender. Make sure the lid’s air vent is open. Start from a low speed, gradually raising to medium-high speed, blending until the oil is emulsified, about 1 minute. The mixture will look cloudy once blended.
- Carefully pour the hot pot soup base into a large heat proof tupperware. Top the whole dried chilis and crushed peppercorns evenly over the base for garnish. Cover the container and freeze overnight.
- Once frozen, you can divide the base into individual portions by slicing it into 4 pieces. Then you can store each piece in a ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 6 months. Each block is good for a small hot pot, or one side of a hot pot with a divider.
How to use the Sichuan hot pot soup base
- To use the hot pot base, add it to the hot pot and pour in 4 to 5 cups of broth (chicken or vegetable broth). Heat over medium-high heat and stir to dissolve the soup base. You’re ready to cook when the soup is boiling. Refer to my Ultimate Hot Pot Guide for more information on how to put together a hot pot dinner.
Notes
- Replacing one cup of oil with tallow enriches flavor and helps the base solidify at room temperature.
- Adding extra dried chili peppers as garnish enhances appearance without significantly increasing spiciness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16servings (4 hot pot soup bases)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 328 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 328kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 5.4g | 2% |
| Protein | 0.5g | 1% |
| Fat | 34.3g | 53% |
| Saturated Fat | 6.7g | 34% |
| Sodium | 556mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 56mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 0.6g | 2% |
| Sugar | 2.1g | 4% |
| Calcium | 8mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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