Cantonese-Style Hot Pot (Da Bian Lu)
打边炉 · dǎ biān lú
Every Sunday at my grandmother’s Liwan apartment, she’d set up a brass da bian lu burner with a porcelain pot — first a clear chicken-and-shrimp broth, then thin-sliced beef, prawns, fish balls, and baby bok choy. She said, 'The pot sings when it’s ready — listen for the soft *pop-pop*.'
Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen
Home-cooking research team
Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29
Ingredients
- chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)鸡腿（带骨带皮）🛒 local400 g
- dried shrimp虾米🏮 asian20 g
- dried shiitake mushrooms干香菇🏮 asian8 g
- scallions小葱🛒 local60 g
- ginger生姜🛒 local30 g
chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on): Bone-in adds body to broth. Sub: chicken wings (300 g / 10.5 oz).
dried shrimp: Look for pinkish-orange, fragrant pieces. Sub: 1 tsp shrimp paste + 1 tsp fish sauce (add at end).
dried shiitake mushrooms: Soak in 200 ml warm water 20 min. Reserve soaking liquid.
scallions: Use white and green parts separately — whites for broth, greens for garnish.
ginger: Smash (don’t slice) to release oils slowly.
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Instructions
1Rinse chicken thighs and place in a large pot with 1.8 L cold water, dried shrimp, soaked shiitakes (with soaking liquid), ginger, and scallion whites. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then immediately lower to low and skim any foam.
清汤去浮沫是关键
🔍 Look for Low heat 5–7 分钟 · 5–7 minutesVisual: 汤面浮细白沫；汤体几近透亮。Surface shows fine white foam; broth remains almost translucent.
You know it's right when: 浮沫减退，汤色澄澈无浑浊。Foam diminishes and broth clarifies — no cloudiness remains.
2Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring gently every 10 minutes. Skim fat occasionally — aim for a clean, golden broth with delicate aroma.
文火慢吊，汤色澄亮
🔍 Look for Low heat 40 分钟 · 40 minutesVisual: 汤色金黄微亮；油珠聚于锅沿。Broth glistens gold-yellow; tiny oil beads gather at surface edge.
You know it's right when: 香气清甜带海味与微土香，无生禽腥气。Aroma is sweet, oceanic, and faintly earthy — no raw poultry scent.
3Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Discard solids except shiitake caps — slice them thinly and return to broth.
滤渣留菇，汤更清爽
🔍 Look for 2 分钟 · 2 minutesVisual: 汤液清亮流淌；香菇片如花瓣浮游。Broth pours clear and shimmering; sliced shiitakes float like petals.
You know it's right when: 无渣漏下；汤挂勺成丝滑感。No sediment passes through sieve; broth feels silky on spoon.
4Bring strained broth back to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Stir in 1 tsp light soy sauce (15 ml) and ½ tsp white pepper (1 g) — just enough to lift flavor, not dominate.
点睛调味，不掩本味
🔍 Look for Medium-low 1 分钟 · 1 minuteVisual: 汤面轻冒热气；胡椒粒均匀弥散。Broth steams lightly; pepper specks disperse evenly.
You know it's right when: 诸香交融，无一味独显。Aromas blend seamlessly — no single note overpowers.
5Transfer to a tabletop hot pot. Arrange raw ingredients around: paper-thin beef, peeled prawns, fish balls, enoki mushrooms, and baby bok choy. Serve with dipping sauce: light soy + sesame oil + minced scallion greens.
围炉而食，食材现烫
🔍 Look for Medium-high 即刻 · immediatelyVisual: 锅心汤稳沸；生鲜食材在冷盘中泛光。Broth simmers steadily at center; raw ingredients glisten on chilled plates.
You know it's right when: 牛肉片入锅8–10秒即变不透明。First dip of beef turns opaque in 8–10 seconds.
Tips
- · For authentic texture, freeze beef 45 minutes before slicing — it firms up and allows paper-thin cuts with a chef’s knife.
- · If dried shrimp is unavailable, use 10 g (¼ cup) finely chopped rehydrated dried scallops instead.
- · Always serve broth piping hot — lukewarm da bian lu loses its soul.
Sources & references
Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.
- Read our editorial policy
- Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
- USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
- Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records
Common questions
Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?
Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.
Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library
What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?
Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.
Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide
I only have 30 minutes. Which recipes should I pick?
Look for the 'Quick' filter (≤30 min) — tomato & egg, egg fried rice, scallion pancakes, beef & broccoli, and mapo tofu (if you have doubanjiang) all fit. Prep tip: mise-en-place everything first; the actual cooking is usually under 10 minutes.
Source: HǎoWèi recipe collection
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