The Vegetarian Hot Pot My Dad's Made 100,000 Times

Step 1: Prep soup base ingredients

Clean the ginger (2 oz) and cut into thin slices.

Angle your knife and cut the onion (4 oz) into wedges.

Slice the carrots (6 oz) at an angle into 1/2-inch thick coins.

Place the daikon (14 oz) vertically in front of you and slice in half lengthwise. Next, place the flat side on the cutting board and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch thick pieces.

Step 2: Prep hot pot ingredients

Trim the stem horizontally off the napa cabbage (6 oz) and slice it into smaller pieces. Next, cut the leafy parts lengthwise into long narrow pieces.

Thinly slice the lotus root (8 oz) in 1/8-inch thick pieces. Soak the slices in a bowl of water for 5 minutes. This helps remove any excess starch.

Peel apart the individual leaves of the bok choy (6 oz). Stack the outer leaves on top of one another and cut in half lengthwise. Slice the smaller middle parts lengthwise as well.

Trim off the ends of the seafood mushrooms (6 oz).

Drain the lotus root that were previously soaking and use the same bowl to soak the mushrooms in water for 5 minutes.

Use shears to cut the stems off the shiitake mushrooms (8 oz) and soak all the pieces, including the stems, in water for 5 minutes.

Remove the soft tofu (1 lb) from packaging. Drain out the liquid and rinse tofu with water. Cut the block into thirds lengthwise, then rotate it 90 degrees. Slice it into sevenths the other way, resulting in 21 smaller rectangles of tofu.

Remove the vermicelli  (6 oz)from the packaging and soak the bundles in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes to soften the noodles.

Remove the seafood mushrooms from the bowl of water.

Wash the shiitake mushrooms and remove from the water. Cut each mushroom into thirds at an angle.

Soak beansprouts (4 oz) in water for 5 minutes. Drain from water and set aside with other ingredients.

Step 3: Make dipping sauce

In a small bowl, combine the vegetarian oyster sauce (3 tablespoon), light soy sauce (3 tablespoon), rice vinegar (1 tablespoon), sugar (2 tablespoon), and chili sauce (1 teaspoon). Add the boiled water (2 tablespoon). Stir until well combined.

Step 4: Cook soup base

Heat a wok on high heat. Add the oil (1 tablespoon), followed by the ginger and stir fry for about 1 minute.

Add the onions and stir fry for 1 minute.

Add the sliced carrots shiitake mushroom stems and quickly stir fry for 30 to 40 seconds.

Add the sliced daikon and stir fry for 1 minute, tossing to mix everything together.

Pour in the cooking wine (1 tablespoon) and stir fry for another 30 to 40 seconds.

Add in boiling hot water (10 cup), cover and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Start hot pot

Transfer the soup base to a hot pot with divider. Season each side with half of the salt (1 teaspoon) and sugar (1 teaspoon). Top the pot off with more hot water if needed. Mix in the seasonings and cover to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add chili sauce (1 teaspoon) (or any desired spices and seasoning) to one side of pot.

Drop ingredients into each side, including some (but not all) lotus root, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, fried tofu puffs (6 oz) and napa cabbage stems. When almost ready to start eating, add some bok choy.

Move the pot and stove to your dining table. Start cooking and eating by adding ingredients as you go.

These Ingredients cook really quickly, so add in small amounts:

• Spinach (4 oz)
• Bok choy
• Seafood mushroom
• Beansprouts

Save these Ingredients for the end of the meal:

• Vermicelli
• Fresh rice noodles (8 oz)