Food trends come and go, but the ones that strike a chord with Malaysian taste buds often stay way beyond their supposed lifespans. And a trend that has remained throughout the years is our love for steamboat! Flavourful broth with vegetables and tasty proteins—what’s not to love about a good meal over boiling hot soup? But with the pandemic still very much a reality, we’ll have to make do with having steamboat at home. Not keen on the prep work? Well, you’re at the right place.
Introducing instant hotpots. Quick, easy, and perfect for hectic schedules, they’re the go-to option if you’re craving for steamboat but don’t have the time to do one from scratch.
Fuss-Free Instant Hotpots For Steamboat At Home
Haidilao Instant Hotpot
Not a fan of waiting for hours just to enter a Haidilao restaurant? Well, your patience will no longer be tested. With the Haidilao instant hotpot, you can recreate a similar steamboat experience at home! Available in the restaurant chain’s signature broths, there are both vegetarian and meat options available. Despite this being an instant dish, it doesn’t skimp on hearty and high-quality ingredients either. You can find bamboo shoots, lotus roots, and black fungus in the vegetarian pack. Separately, meat-based broths come with tender beef slices.
What’s more, you don’t even need hot water to cook it. Just pour room temperature water into the “boiler” under the soup bowl, cover it up, and wait for steam to release from the vent. That’s the cue to eat! Nonetheless, the mini-hotpot is just enough for one person, so we recommend ordering more for a larger group.
Chongqing Mala Spicy Hotpot
Got an insatiable appetite for peppercorn and chilli oil? Then the Chongqing Mala Spicy Hotpot is a solid pick for a fuss-free fiery steamboat meal at home. It cooks like the aforementioned Haidilao instant hotpot; just pour water in and the packaged boiler will do the rest. The tongue-tingling broth is enhanced with a selection of items such as glass noodles, lotus roots, blanched seaweed, and sausages or beef slices for meat options.
Have ice cold drinks on the ready because you’ll need them to put out the fire in your mouth. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
MAMAVEGE Tomyam Steamboat
Bring authentic Thai aromas into your household with the MamaVege mini steamboat pot. Infused with flavours from fresh limes, bird’s eye chillies, and lemongrass, the appetising Tomyam broth makes for a satisfying slurping experience on a rainy day! It also comes with springy wheat noodles, sweet corn, potato slices, and vegetable tofu.
With zero prep required, it only takes between 10 and 12 minutes to get the broth boiling. Easy does it!
Instant Oden Hotpot
Oden is a Japanese one-pot dish with narutomaki, tofu, and beancurd skin soaked in simmering soup. It’s comforting, delicious, and a good supplementary dish for home steamboat sessions. Choose between mushroom or spicy for your soup base, set a timer for five minutes, and you’ll have an instant oden mini-pot for everyone to share.
ZihaiGuo Instant Rice
Are you someone who must have rice for every meal? Is the rice cooker your most prized kitchen appliance? Here’s the good news: instant hotpots aren’t limited to soup-based meals. Using the same self-heating contraption in instant soup hotpots, ZiHaiGuo’s rice dishes will have you spoilt for choice. There are more than 10 flavours to choose from, with Taiwanese braised pork and mushroom minced chicken as the two best-sellers.
Related: Cheesecake, Pasta, “Claypot” Chicken Rice & 5 More Rice Cooker Recipes You Must Try
Mo Xiao Xian Stinky Tofu Hotpot
Some love it, some hate it, there’s no middle ground when it comes to the stinky tofu. A kind of fermented tofu, it has a strong pungent aroma that quickly permeates every room. That said, if you’re a fan of this delicacy, have you tried having it in a hotpot setting? Mo Xiao Xian combines vegetables and tomato-based broth with six pieces of roasted stinky tofu for an unconventional take on traditional hotpot.
Xiang Piao Piao Milk Tea Hotpot
Yes, you read that header correctly. But hold your horses, this isn’t the typical savoury hotpot—it’s boba in a pot! Hot water cooks the tea powder together with barley, red beans, mango pudding, and tapioca pearls to create a decadent bowl of the popular drink. If the idea of warm bubble tea is too bizarre for your taste, there’s a cold option with the same ingredients. If you’re throwing a steamboat party at home, this is undoubtedly the most fitting dessert to end the night with!
Three Easy Ways Improve Your Instant Hotpot Experience
- Prepare side dishes: Mini hotpots are mini for a reason; they’re just enough for 1-2 pax! If you’re feeling famished or having friends with huge appetites over, you can up the portion size with shareable platters such as salads or dim sum.
- Cold drinks are necessary: Especially if you love spicy hotpots! Cold drinks—whether it’s beer or energy drinks—can help temper some of the fiery heat. Dairy drinks, such as yoghurt or milk beverages, are also great to consume during and after hotpot meals.
- Don’t share utensils: This is important if you’re sharing. Avoid cross-contamination with a designated pair of tongs or chopsticks for picking out food from the pot. And also, no plastic cutleries because they don’t handle high heat particularly well.
- Dipping sauces: You can’t go wrong with classic soy sauces. But to spice things up, throw in chopped garlic cloves, onion, chillies, and a dash of lime juice for a tangy concoction.
Save Time And Money By Enjoying Steamboat At Home With These Instant Hotpots
From Hadilao instant hotpots to boba soup dessert, it’s now possible to enjoy a cosy steamboat meal at home without going through the hassle of sourcing ingredients. Looking for more ways to fill your tummy without spending too much time in the kitchen? Check out these under-30 minute pasta recipes and French fries ideas for quick meal fixes during busy weekdays. Always leave room for dessert! Make sure to try your hand at these Lotus Biscoff recipes as well.
