We recently shared about Dezhuang in our Link Roundup #8: Top 3 Chinese Muslim Food Links post. In case you haven’t read it, here’s a quick recap of what we wrote:

DeZhuang is a famous hotpot brand in China and get this, their hotpot bases are Halal-certified by the Halal Certification Services of Chongqing and in accordance with the standards set by JAKIM Malaysia MS1500:2009. We bought the double flavors hotpot bases via their Shopee store and tried the mala flavor earlier this week. Tastes so good! They’ve also opened a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. Take note that the restaurant serves pork and is not Halal-certified.

Making Your Hotpot Base

So today we’re going to talk about our experience with their mala flavor hotpot base. It’s pretty easy to make really. Just empty out the paste into a hotpot cooker and add water. Now if you don’t have a hotpot cooker, you can always use a multipurpose cooker, a rice cooker, or a regular pot and put it on the stove.

Can’t get your hands on an instant hotpot base? You could make your own or substitute it with some other soup bases. Try tom yam for a change.

What Goes In Your Hotpot

There are no strict rules when it comes to hotpot and you can use all sorts of meats and vegetables. This time around we used corn, pumpkin, potatoes, leafy greens, beef, chicken, and all sorts of fish balls and meatballs. Cut the ingredients thinly or into bite-sized pieces. We also have rice and noodles, just in case we need the extra carbs. As dipping sauces, we have our chili oil and black vinegar.

Let The Hotpot Feasting Begin!

Now you can start to cook the ingredients in the hotpot base. Start with the ingredients that take more time to cook, like beef, chicken, fish balls and meatballs. Once those are almost cooked, add the other ingredients. Cook, eat, cook, repeat. Continue to do this until you’ve cooked everything or eaten your fill.

What Makes Hotpot An Enjoyable Experience

Back in China, hotpots are usually enjoyed with family or a group of friends. Hotpots provide a good opportunity for everybody to bond over food because when you do it at home, you prepare the ingredients, cook, and eat together. Even when you eat in at a restaurant, you still need to cook and eat together. There’s a warm feeling to it, and we’re not talking about the spicy or mala soup bases.

So whenever our China family and friends come by, we try our level best to schedule a hotpot session. Not only does it help to bring us together, it helps to rekindle those fond memories of growing up eating hotpot. Squabbling for the best cuts of meat, making sure nobody else gets the most meat.

When Is The Best Time To Eat Hotpot

On rainy days or whenever you feel like having it. Best to eat hotpots with family and friends. In fact, the more the merrier!

Have you tried the hotpot experience?