Mala Beef Hot Pot Broth

Name: Mala Beef Hot Pot Broth
Yield: Makes about 2½ quarts
Ingredients: 3 lb. 2"–3" sections mixed beef soup bones (such as neck, marrow, and/or oxtail); 4 star anise pods; 2 Tbsp. Sichuan peppercorns; 15 dried chao tian jiao chiles or dried chiles de árbol, plus more for serving; 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 4 Tbsp. Pixian chili bean paste; 2 large onions, cut into 2" pieces; 3 large shallots, quartered; 1 bunch scallions, cut into 3" pieces; 1 head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled; 1 3" piece ginger, scrubbed, cut into 1" pieces; ½ cup Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine), michiu, or dry sake; 1 oz. white rock sugar or 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar; 6 Tbsp. soy sauce (preferably Kimlan); 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

By Eric Sze

February 8, 2022

Hot pot filled with beef broth and chilis

Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones

Spicy, tingly mala broth, which gets its inimitable sensation from a mix of chiles and Sichuan peppercorns, is on the menu at most hot pot restaurants. Each step in this homemade version from chef Eric Sze—toasting the spices, frying the chili bean paste and aromatics, gently boiling the broth—requires a small investment of time and love, but the payoff is huge. “Broths are the building blocks of your hot pot,” Sze says, and as you dip in umami-rich additions like mushrooms and meat, its flavor will only get richer.

Read our ultimate guide to making hot pot at home here.

What you’ll need

Dutch Oven
$90 At Amazon
Colander
$15 At Amazon
Small Skillet
$25 $22 At Amazon
Mesh Sieve
$16 At Amazon
Ladle
$35 At Amazon

Recipe notes

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Green Chile Puttanesca Pork Chops

The heat of pickled chiles brings a welcome zing that integrates well with the salty elements of puttanesca and acts like a counterweight to rich pork chops.