ramyaramesh3007This DIY Malatang Hotpot brings you one step closer to building your own personal customised hotpot experience with a spicy, numbing broth and crispy toppings.
Malatang is probably a dish you may have not tried before but if you have, you would probably love it. It’s highly customisable which means you can choose what goes into it. Anything mala-flavoured is intriguing to me and the flavour profile can somewhat be described as spicy, numbing and tangy.
麻 (má): Refers to the numbing sensation from Sichuan peppercorns (also called “prickly ash”). These peppercorns contain compounds like hydroxy-alpha-sanshool that create a tingling, numbing sensation in the mouth. They sell these in whole and powdered forms.
辣 (là ): Refers to the spicy heat, usually derived from dried red chilies or chili oil. This element gives the dish its signature fiery kick.
There is regular malatang and then there is mala milk hotpot that adds some richness and creaminess to the broth. We will be making a milky version today with plant milk to add that same richness to this vegan version.
This Malatang was inspired by a popular place known as Hot Hideout in Singapore – their signature Mala Collagen Soup is served with crispy fried toppings and their popular scrambled eggs. I mean who would have thought to add scrambled eggs to Malatang?! I can only assume it tastes as good as it looks – so it was again time to recreate that exact version but make it plant based.
Ingredients You Need
Here are some ideas of what you can include in your Malatang:
- leafy greens – spinach, cabbage, lettuce, kai lan, chye sim, bok choy and more…
- water-based vegetables – tomatoes, broccoli, different varieties of mushrooms, bittergourd
- crispy toppings – thin slices of lotus root, potatoes, tofu, plant based spam
- protein – silken tofu, firm tofu, tempeh, seitan, plant-based meat substitutes, different types of beancurd skin, edamame
- noodles – ramen or rice noodles if you’re gluten free!
- herbs and aromatics – shallots, garlic, ginger, cilantro, scallions
- whole spices – bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, dried red chilies, fennel seeds, sichuan peppercorns
- sauces and seasonings – hot bean paste (gluten free option – chili oil), light soy sauce, shao xing wine, toasted sesame oil
- milk – soy milk gives the thickest texture but you can also use oat milk, cashew milk or bamnut milk!
- rice – the perfect accompaniment to a hot soup!
Gluten free substitutions: Use gluten free chili oil instead of hot bean paste and gluten free soy sauce / tamari / coconut aminos instead of regular soy sauce. You can have the soup with rice instead of wheat noodles or use rice vermicelli / flat rice noodles.
Allium free substitutions: Omit shallots, garlic and substitute with a pinch of hing (asafoetida). You can also omit scallions.
Sichuan Malatang Hotpot
Ingredients
- 5 shallots
- 4 cloves smashed garlic
- 2 star anise
- 4 cloves
- 2-3 ginger slices
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp sichuan peppercorns
- 5 dried red chilies more if you want it more spicy
- 4 tbsp hot bean paste
- 2 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 4 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sweetener
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup plant milk like soy, oat or cashew
Vegan 'Scrambled Egg'
- 400 g extra firm tofu
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp black salt
- 150 g silken tofu
- 1/2 tsp black salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
Toppings
- 2 servings spinach
- 1/2 cup tofu noodles / beancurd skin
- 1 medium potato thinly sliced
- 10 slices lotus root thinly sliced
- extra firm tofu thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup oyster mushrooms
- 1/2 cup enoki mushrooms
- 1/2 cup king oyster mushrooms
Toppings
- chopped cilantro
- spring onions
- whole peanuts
- toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Slice all your toppings according to your desired shape.
- To a pot, add sesame oil. Add all whole spices and saute them for 1-2 minutes. Then add shallots, smashed garlic, ginger and saute for a few more minutes.
- Add water, hot bean paste, shao xing wine, light soy sauce and sweetener. Bring to a boil.
- Add milk and simmer for a few minutes. Add salt to taste if required. Filter the spices with a strainer and keep aside.
- Add your sliced mushrooms and let them cook in the broth. Add beancurd skin and your other desired toppings. Hold off on the greens until the last step.
- In hot oil, fry lotus roots, potato and thinly sliced tofu until they're golden brown and crispy. Drain the excess oil and keep aside. You can fry the peanuts in this oil too!
- Blend silken tofu with black salt and turmeric. Crumble your extra firm tofu. Add all dry spices like onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, nutritional yeast and black salt. Fry them off.
- Add your silken tofu cream and mix well.
- Cook your noodles according to package instructions.
- Mix in your greens in the soup until it's cooked. Add your noodles to a bowl and pour over the broth.
- Add your scrambled 'eggs' and layer on crispy fried toppings. Top with crispy peanuts, chopped scallions, cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!