Lunar New Year is 17 February this year. It’s cold. You simply would not like to go outside, thank you very much. Here comes hot pot to the rescue: few meals feel more soothing in winter than one that gathers everyone around a big ‘ol bubbling pot, cooking together while talking about nothing and everything.
If you haven’t tried hotpot at home though, it can feel intimidating. Do I need some sort of custom vessel? Do I need to make a pilgrimage to Chinatown for eight different spices? What do I even put in there? Fortunately, thanks to a ton of easy shortcuts, anyone can enjoy this belly-warming ritual without an ordeal.
