Steamboat

The steamboat I am refering to today is not what you have in mind. I'm not refering to the steamer or steam-powered boats. I am talking about food. Steamboat, also known as Asian Hot Pot, is a type of stew/soup which consists of a simmering pot of stock(it can be chicken stock, beef, seafood, vegetable or even just water) at the center of the dining table with all different kinds of food(uncooked) surrounding it. The cooking pot is fueled by propane or hot coal or electric. The ingredients are placed in the hot pot and cooked at the table. The cooked food is normally eaten with dipping sauces.

Here is an example of a hot pot fueled by hot coal. The pot consists of a few sections. The center(chimney like) part is where the hot coals go to heat the pot/stock. The middle(wider part) is where the stock and food go. The bottom part is where the ashes go.

Here's a picture from a steamboat dinner at my parents house. As you can see, the cooking pot is different than that one from the picture above. This is an electric pot. I'm sure if you have an electric skillet at home, you can use that.

Let's talk about what kind of food to serve at a steamboat dinner. Well, any kind you want. Whatever suits your fancy. Meats(chicken, pork, beef) are normally sliced thin that way it only takes a few minutes to cook. You can serve shrimp, fish, calamari, shellfish...

You can serve all kinds of vegetables: napa cabbage, bok choy, spinach, bean sprout, mushrooms, onions, green beans...You can also serve tofu. There is normally some kind of noodles: rice vermicelli, celofane noodles, rice noodles, udon noodles, spaghetti(if you can't find asian noodles).

About dipping sauces: well my family normally serve saute minced garlic with oil which you drizzle in your bowl of food before consuming it. Most Malaysians love spicy food, so there is almost always soy sauce with lots of chopped chilli pepper.

There you have it. So next time when your kids ask you what's for dinner or if you are having a small dinner party, why not consider making your own Steamboat or Asian Hot Pot. It's so easy and you don't have to spend hours in the kitchen cooking. Just prep your ingredients and you can cook and eat at the table with your family and friends.