Mala Yuan Yang Hot Pot | 鸳鸯火锅

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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.

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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

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Equipment:

• Wok / Cast Iron Skillet / Pan

• Spice Grinder

• Sauce Pot

• Large Pot

• Food Processor / Hand Blender

• Yuan Yang Hot Pot

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Directions:

1. Prepare the Mala Sauce

2. Use store-bought beef tallow or make your own:

3. Add ~1kg beef fat (or a mix of beef and chicken fat/skins) to a skillet with 1/2 cup water.

4. Bake at 110°C (230°F) for 3–4 hours until fully rendered and crispy.

5. Strain and store the fat. Discard the solids.

6. Prep the chilies and spices:

7. Slice dried chilies into sections, deseed, and soak in boiling water for 20–30 mins. Keep them submerged.

8. Toast Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamoms, and fennel in a dry skillet until aromatic.

9. Blitz into a spice powder and mix with ShaoXing wine to form a paste.

10. Blitz the soaked chilies into a smooth chili paste.

11. Cook the sauce:

12. Heat beef tallow in a wok or skillet.

13. Add onion, scallions, coriander, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry until nearly caramelized.

14. Strain and discard the solids.

15. Return 2 TBSP of tallow to the wok. Add chili bean paste and fermented black beans. Stir-fry until caramelized.

16. Add remaining tallow and chili paste. Stir until deep red.

17. Add the spice paste. Stir to combine.

18. Finish with rock sugar. Stir until dissolved.

19. Adjust seasoning with salt and sugar.

20. Let cool and store:

21. Chill overnight. Keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.

22. Prepare the Chicken Soup Base

23. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).

24. Place chicken carcasses in a baking dish. Sprinkle with milk powder, salt, pepper, and mushroom powder.

25. Roast for 40–50 mins, flipping halfway.

26. Transfer bones to a large pot. Deglaze the baking dish with hot water and pour into the pot.

27. Add 2L water and remaining soup ingredients. Simmer for 10 mins.

28. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and steep for 20 mins. Strain.

29. Reuse the solids:

30. Return the soup to the pot with carrots, longans, jujubes, mushrooms, and shredded chicken.

31. Simmer and finish with a splash of black vinegar and sesame oil.

32. Prepare the Hot Pot

33. For the mala side:

34. Add 50g of chilled mala sauce to one side of the hot pot.

35. Add milk and 1–2 cups water. Stir until melted.

36. Add soy sauce and sesame paste.

37. Adjust seasoning with salt, sugar, or more mala sauce.

38. Add a splash of black vinegar.

39. For the herbal side:

40. Add the chicken soup base to the other side.

41. Garnish both broths with scallions and coriander.

42. Serve with Hot Pot Ingredients

43. Noodles: Handmade, udon, or dried

44. Tofu: Tofu or tofu skins

45. Balls: Fish, shrimp, or beef balls

46. Dumplings

47. Proteins: Fresh shrimp, beef shabu-shabu, or Spam

48. Mushrooms: Especially enoki

49. Eggs: Quail eggs

50. Leafy Greens: Bok choy or napa cabbage

51. Rice: Optional on the side

52. Optional Dipping Sauce

53. Toasted sesame oil

54. Minced garlic

55. Chopped coriander

56. Chopped scallions

57. Black vinegarMix to taste.

58. Or serve with Bullhead's Sha Cha BBQ Sauce + minced garlic for a shortcut.

Tofu puff...

Shabu-shabu beef...

Chicken herbal soup is nourishing...

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Recipe Video: