Jianyi Sichuan Huoguo
简易四川火锅·(jiǎnyì sìchuān huǒguō)
Cangying Guanzi (The Weekend Fly Restaurant)
Wednesday at six, the tabletop butane burner hums, the red broth roils, supermarket enoki mushrooms await the plunge—a direct echo of working-class fuel forged by boatmen on the damp banks of the Yangtze. Chengdu fly restaurants rely on a few stark ingredients: dried chilies, scattered peppercorns, and crushed garlic. Making it without bottled shortcuts is shockingly simple: get your hands on good beef tallow, source the right fermented chili bean paste, and possess the patience to toast them over a low flame until the oil runs a deep, clear red. Turn the burner high and grab the tongs.
Ingredients
- beef tallow1/2 cup
- Pixian doubanjiang1/4 cup
- fresh ginger2 tbsp
- fermented black beans1 tbsp
- rock sugar2 tsp
- spicy dried chili powder2 tbsp
- mild red chili powder1 tbsp
- whole red Sichuan peppercorns1 tbsp
- fermented glutinous rice3 tbsp
- Shaoxing wine1 tbsp
- unsalted beef stock8 cup
- salt1/2 tsp
- chicken bouillon powder1 tbsp
- fresh ginger1 small
- scallions3 med
- toasted sesame oil4 tbsp
- fresh garlic2 tbsp
- assorted hot pot meats and vegetables2 lb
Method
- 01
Melt the beef tallow in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat.
A deep wok or Dutch oven works well; ensure the fat is fully melted but not smoking before proceeding.
- 02
Fry the doubanjiang gently for seven to eight minutes until the oil turns a brilliant crimson.
This is the most critical technique in the dish. Keep the heat strictly medium-low and stir continuously until the paste darkens and separates into a sandy texture, releasing its fat-soluble aromatics without turning bitter.
- 03
Stir in the minced ginger, chopped black beans, and rock sugar.
Continue to fry and stir constantly for about three minutes, just until the ginger begins to look dehydrated.
- 04
Add the ground chili powders and whole Sichuan peppercorns.
Fry for exactly one minute to bloom the spices without scorching them.
- 05
Deglaze the pan with the fermented rice and Shaoxing wine.
The alcohol will rapidly evaporate, leaving behind a complex, enzymatic sweetness that rounds out the harshness of the chilies. Cook for one final minute to lock in that deep, fly-restaurant depth.
- 06
Pour in the beef stock and add the ginger slices, scallions, salt, and chicken bouillon powder.
The bouillon powder is an optional but highly authentic shortcut utilized by modern Chinese home cooks to replicate restaurant intensity.
- 07
Bring the entire pot to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then transfer to a tabletop burner for cooking.
Keep the broth simmering continuously as you cook the meats and vegetables, quickly dipping thinly sliced items just until they change color.
Notes
The authentic dipping sauce is remarkably austere.
In Chengdu, utilizing sesame paste for this style of hot pot is a culinary faux pas. The canonical accompaniment is the Youdie, or oil plate. Whisk together the toasted sesame oil and freshly minced garlic for each guest. The oil rapidly cools the boiling-hot food and coats the stomach lining, acting as a buffer against the intense capsaicin.
Ingredient substitutions are possible but will shift the flavor profile.
If beef tallow is absolutely unavailable, use a half cup of neutral oil like canola mixed with two tablespoons of butter to mimic the richness. If you cannot find fermented glutinous rice, substitute mirin mixed with a pinch of sugar.
From Cook Sichuan in America.