Sichuan vegetable hot pot

Step 1: Prepare all the dipping ingredients first and arrange them on plates round the burner, with the slow-cooking ones (potato, lotus, tofu) together.

Step 2: Heat ¾ cup rapeseed or vegetable oil in a large wok over a low heat. Add 4 tbsp Pixian chilli bean paste (doubanjiang) and fry gently, stirring, for 6–8 minutes, until the oil turns deep red and the paste smells rich rather than raw. Common mistake: frying it hot and fast, which scorches the paste and makes the whole pot bitter.

Step 3: Add 1 oz fresh ginger, 1 head garlic, 1 tbsp fermented black beans (douchi), 2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick and 3 bay leaves and stir for 2 minutes. Add 1 oz dried red chillies and 2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns and stir for another minute, until the chillies smell toasty and the peppercorns crackle.

Step 4: Pour in 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, then 8 ¼ cups vegetable stock and 1 tbsp rock sugar or sugar. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes so the spices give up their flavour. Taste and add salt if your stock is unsalted.

Step 5: Pour the broth into the hot pot set on the table burner and keep it at a steady simmer. Mix 8 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 4 cloves garlic and 1 handful fresh coriander and divide between small bowls.

Step 6: Everyone cooks their own food: 1 potato, 7 oz lotus root and 14 oz firm tofu take 4–5 minutes; 14 oz mixed mushrooms (enoki, oyster, shiitake), 3 ½ oz dried tofu skin (yuba) and ½ Chinese leaf (napa cabbage) 2–3 minutes; 7 oz spinach or pea shoots and 5 ½ oz sweet potato glass noodles under a minute. Dip each piece in the sesame oil before eating.

Step 7: Top up with hot water or stock when the level drops. Noodles go in last, when the broth is at its most flavourful.