Originating among my country's northern nomadic tribes, the Mongolian version of the steaming feast has been called the father of all hot pots in China. The hot pot boasts a history of more than 1000 years and built its popularity during the Tang Dynasty [628-907]. In the following dynasties, the culinary style was adopted by imperial chefs in the mid ---17th century, with mutton hot pot becoming a winter favorite of the Supreme Qing rulers.

1 Mongolian-style
The main ingredient of the modern Mandarin version of Mongolian-style hot-pot is prime mutton taken from tiny sheep raised in inner Mongolia. Chefs cut the iced mutton into paper---thin slices and prepare a source containing ingredients like sesame butter, soy sauce, chili oil, chopped chives, glutinous rice wine, shrimp sauce, vinegar and Chinese parsley. The traditional hot-pot meal is not considered complete without bean curd, sesame pancakes and Chinese cabbages.

The best Mandarin hot-pot restaurant in Beijing is Donglaishun, on Wangfujing, the Fifth Avenue in Beijing. The mutton slices here are finer and thinner than anywhere else. The bubbling stock, into which the mutton is dipped, is favored with mushrooms and dried shrimps to create the traditional Mandarin taste.

2 Sichuan-style
Unlike the royal hot pot favored by the Mandarin aristocrats, the Sichun-style version has always been a food of the common folks. The Sichuan hot pot, like the rest of that humid and populous province's cuisine, tastes very spicy. The broth is flavored with chili peppers and other pungent herbs and spices. The main ingredients include hot pepper, Chinese crystal sugar and wine. Slices of kidney, chicken breast, beef tripe, goose intestines, spring onion, soya bean sprouts, mushrooms eel, duck and sea cucumber form the meat content of the dish.

And for those who like to cool their palate after the chili shock, many Sichuan restaurant now serve a hot pot that is divided into two sections-one containing a spicy broth, the other a milder, white stock.

3Catonese-syle
The southern style is sweeter and features the seafood ingredients that have become popular in most Cantonese eateries.

Fresh shrimps, scallops, crab meat, white eels and scuttle fish form the staples of this hot pot style. They are served with a sweetish white sauce.

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