Hotpot is one of China's favorite ways to eat together: one bubbling pot, a circle of friends, two or three happy hours of cooking and chatting.
Three schools: Chongqing/Sichuan numbing-spicy (beef-tallow red broth — ma-la heaven), Beijing copper-pot lamb (clear broth, sesame sauce, pure mutton), and Chaoshan beef (clear broth, freshly sliced beef, cut-conscious).
How it works: pick a base first (yuanyang = half spicy, half clear — the lifesaver for spice-averse), order meat and veg, mix your dip (sesame paste / garlic oil / seafood sauce), then cook.
Must-order: fatty beef, mao du (tripe — "seven up eight down", 10 seconds), shrimp paste, potato slices, frozen tofu and crown daisy; finish with noodles or rice cakes.
The social side: sharing one pot is a symbol of closeness and trust — the meal is the bonding. Splitting the bill or treating is equally normal.
