Name: Freezer-Friendly Hot Pot
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3 cups napa cabbage (~200 g or ~1/4 of a cabbage head), chopped into 2-3 inch bite-size pieces; 1 pack (about 200 g / 7 oz) enoki mushrooms, ends trimmed; 4-5 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced (be sure to remove the stems as they are really tough); 1/2 lb thinly sliced pork belly; 1 medium carrot, chopped into bite-size pieces; 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts; 400 g shirataki noodles (about 4 servings); 4 cups dashi (or 4 cups of water + 2 tablespoons hondashi); 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste); 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, thinly sliced into 1-inch strips; 3/4 cup mirin; 1/4 cup sugar; 1/2 cup soy sauce; Ponzu (I recommend eating this with the basic broth hot pot as a dipping sauce); Pasteurized raw egg, mixed (I recommend eating this with sukiyaki as a dipping sauce); 2 green onions, finely chopped (for garnish)

Description

My frozen hot pot to meal prep is an easy, budget-friendly way to enjoy restaurant-quality hot pot at home by freezing prepped veggies and thinly sliced meats, ready to cook straight from the freezer into simmering broth.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Vegetables & Protein:

3 cups napa cabbage (~200 g or ~1/4 of a cabbage head), chopped into 2-3 inch bite-size pieces
1 pack (about 200 g / 7 oz) enoki mushrooms, ends trimmed
4-5 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced (be sure to remove the stems as they are really tough)
1/2 lb thinly sliced pork belly
1 medium carrot, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
400 g shirataki noodles (about 4 servings)

Basic Hot Pot Broth Base:

4 cups dashi (or 4 cups of water + 2 tablespoons hondashi)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, thinly sliced into 1-inch strips

Sukiyaki Hot Pot Broth Base:

3/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce

For Serving:

Ponzu (I recommend eating this with the basic broth hot pot as a dipping sauce)
Pasteurized raw egg, mixed (I recommend eating this with sukiyaki as a dipping sauce)
2 green onions, finely chopped (for garnish)

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Instructions

Freezer Prep Instructions:

Take a large freezer-safe zip-lock bag.
Add the napa cabbage, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, bean sprouts, and pork belly (layer them in any order, it doesn’t matter).
Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Label with the date and contents, then freeze flat for easier storage.

Cooking Instructions:

In a large pot, combine the broth ingredients (choose between the basic broth or sukiyaki broth). Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Remove the frozen bag of vegetables and pork from the freezer and add directly to the simmering broth. If you’re using shirataki noodles, add them to the broth now too.
Cover with a lid and let cook at a steady simmer, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated through and the pork is cooked, about 15 – 20 minutes.
Serve hot, with a side of ponzu or raw egg depending on the hot pot you cooked.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2