The Most Popular Chinese Dish-HOTPOT

History

Traditional hot pot derives from Chongqing and Sichuan, two provinces of China. The original time is the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty. At that time, the elementary ingredients are stomachs, blood vessel, and oxblood. One essential condiment is chili. This robust dietary mode was made by boatmen because of two reasons. The first is that animal offal was cheap. The boatmen’s low salary couldn’t afford any other food. Another reason is that the climate of Chongqing and Sichuan was wet and cold. Boatmen needed chili to warm themselves. Later, one emperor of Qing Dynasty found this warm dish and popularized it to his subjects. He replaced cheap offal with meat and vegetable. During that dynasty, hot pot developed quickly. There were more types of hot pot thrived. Finally, this dish was introduced to the whole world.

Different kinds of hot pots can be found in China

Typically, more modern eateries offer the sectioned bowl with differently flavored broths in each section. More traditional or older establishments serve a fragrant, mild broth in the hot pot, which is a large brass vessel heated by burning coals in a central chimney. The broth is boiled in a deep, donut-shaped bowl surrounding the chimney.

One of the most famous variations is the Chongqing hotpot(Chongching) má là (Chinese: 麻辣 – "numb and spicy") hot pot, to which Sichuan pepper: 花椒 huā jiāo "flower pepper"; also known as "prickly ash") is added. It is usual to use a variety of different meats as well as the sliced mutton fillet. A Chongqing hotpot is markedly different from the types eaten in other parts of China. Quite often the differences lie in the meats used, the type of soup base, and the sauces and condiments used to flavor the meat.

However,  Japan also has its special hot pot which called nabemono.

Sukiyaki is one of the most popular hot pot dishes among the Japanese, and undoubtedly the most well-known Japanese hot pot overseas, particularly in English-speaking parts of the world. Sukiyaki hot pot is served with sliced beef, vegetables and tofu in a sweet sauce based on soy sauce, which is only used in small amounts, enough for the ingredients to merge in a shallow iron pot. Before being eaten, the ingredients are usually dipped in a small bowl of raw, beaten eggs.

Shabu-shabu hot pot is prepared by submerging a very thin slice of meat or a piece of vegetable in a pot of broth made with kelp (kombu) and swishing it back and forth several times. The familiar swishing sound is where the dish gets its name. Shabu-shabu directly translates to "swish swish." Cooked meat and vegetables are usually dipped in ponzu or goma (sesame seed) sauce before eating. Once the meat and vegetables have been eaten, leftover broth from the pot is customarily combined with the remaining rice, and the resulting soup is usually eaten last.

Hotpot Types by Region

There are several varieties of hot pot in China with differently flavored broth. Two of the most popular hotpots are Sichuan hotpot and Beijing mutton hotpot (instant-boiled mutton). Some other popular hotpots include seafood hotpot in Guangdong, sauerkraut hotpot in Northeast China, chrysanthemum hotpot in Suzhou and Hangzhou, and beef hotpot in Hong Kong. For example, Sichuan hotpot is famous for its numbing and spicy flavor, resulting from a special seasoning — Sichuan pepper (花椒  huā jiāo /hwaa- jyaoww/) — and other spicy ingredients like chili added to it, which marks its difference from other hotpots. 

How to Eat Hotpot

Although the flavor of Chinese hotpots varies from region to region, they have similar dining customs. Hotpot is commonly served in a wide metal pot/wok over a (gas) burner, or a recess in the table in which e.g. charcoal burns, to heat the soup in the middle of at a table. When the broth is boiling, you may dip (quickly-cooked) ingredients in until cooked with your chopsticks (if you don't want to lose them to the communal pot). Adding ingredients: Do not add all ingredients to the soup at once. You should add the items that take longest to cook first, like fish balls and meatballs, and then add/dip the thinly sliced meats or green vegetables. Make sure foods are cooked through before you eat. For example, the meatballs and fish balls need to float, and the raw meats need to fully change their color. Then you can use the dipping sauces.

Hotpot is so delicious and popular in China. But be careful if you haven't get used to spicy food yet. 

Reference:

https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/hotpot.htm