🍽️ How to Make Quanjiafu (Family Reunion Hotpot)

🧆 Ingredients

• 100g pork belly (sliced)
• 100g chicken breast (sliced)
• 100g shrimp (peeled)
• 100g fish fillet
• 50g squid rings
• 100g tofu (cubed)
• 100g napa cabbage
• 50g mushrooms
• 1 carrot (sliced)
• 2 green onions (chopped)
• 1 thumb ginger (sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 liter chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cooking wine
• Salt to taste

🍳 Steps

1. Prepare Ingredients:

   • Rinse pork belly, chicken breast, shrimp, fish fillet, and squid rings under cold running water. Remove any visible impurities or bones.
   • Peel and devein the shrimp.
   • Slice meats and fish into uniform pieces for even cooking.
   • Soak tofu in lightly salted water for 10 minutes to firm it up, then drain and cube.
   • Rinse napa cabbage and mushrooms thoroughly to remove any dirt. Slice carrots thinly for quicker cooking.
   • Chop green onions, slice ginger, and mince garlic.

2. Blanch Proteins:

   • Bring a pot of water to a boil.
   • Add pork belly slices first and blanch for 1-2 minutes until the color changes. Remove and set aside.
   • Repeat for chicken, shrimp, fish, and squid, blanching each just until they turn opaque and are partially cooked. This step removes excess blood and impurities, resulting in a clearer broth.
   • Drain all proteins and set aside.

3. Make Broth:

   • In a large pot, heat chicken stock over medium heat.
   • Add sliced ginger and minced garlic, simmering for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
   • Stir in soy sauce and cooking wine.
   • Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed.

4. Assemble Hotpot:

   • Add blanched pork, chicken, shrimp, fish, squid, tofu, napa cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, and half of the green onions to the simmering broth.
   • Arrange ingredients evenly for balanced flavor and presentation.

5. Simmer:

   • Cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, or until all ingredients are cooked through and vegetables are tender but not mushy.
   • Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface for a clean broth.
   • Check doneness: meats should be tender, shrimp pink and curled, fish opaque and flaky, tofu heated through, and vegetables soft but holding their shape.

6. Finish:

   • Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if necessary.
   • Garnish with remaining green onions.
   • Serve hot, ideally at the table for a communal experience. Encourage diners to enjoy a bit of everything for the full "family reunion" spirit.

💡 Tips

• Use a variety of fresh ingredients for best flavor.
• Blanching proteins removes excess impurities.
• Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Serve immediately for a warming, communal experience.