Preparation
1 hour
Difficulty
Easy
Fragrant, spicy vegetarian kimchi hot pot is deliciously rich with sweet napa cabbage, crunchy sweet mushrooms, and soft fatty tofu. Isn’t it wonderful? Let’s get cooking right away!
Ingredients for Vegetarian Kimchi Hot Pot Serves 4
Cassava 1 piece (for the hot pot broth) White radish 1 piece (for the hot pot broth) American corn 1 piece (for the hot pot broth) Korean chili powder 2 tablespoons (for the hot pot broth) Minced garlic 1 tablespoon (for the hot pot broth) Napa cabbage kimchi 200 gr Enoki mushrooms 200 gr Shiitake mushrooms 200 gr Napa cabbage 200 gr Carrot 1 piece Silken tofu 200 gr Chives 100 gr Fried tofu 100 gr Red radish 3 pieces Vegetarian seasoning 10 gr (common seasonings)
How to choose ingredients
Tips for selecting delicious napa cabbage:
- You should buy napa cabbage in season, most abundant and delicious from September to April of the following year; during this time, the cabbage will be very tasty, with fresh, thin white leaves, thick stems, and not too rough or infested with pests.
- Choose fresh cabbage heads that have a light green color at the tips and gradually become bright white from the body to the root; do not choose cabbage leaves that are dark green, as these are old and will not be sweet and crispy. The nutritional quality is also lower than that of firmer cabbage leaves. Avoid cabbage leaves that are bruised or have dark spots on the leaves.
Tips for selecting delicious shiitake mushrooms:
- For fresh mushrooms, you should buy those with vibrant colors and a distinctive aroma, avoiding damaged mushrooms with a rotten smell. If the cut oozes milky white substance, it is a sign of toxic mushrooms. Avoid mushrooms with dark spots or wrinkles on the caps and do not select slimy mushrooms. Fresh mushrooms will have a thin, paper-like layer on them. Choose mushrooms with firm stems and even colors; if the mushrooms have opened up and you can see the gills on the caps, they should be evenly arranged, beautiful, and dry.
- When choosing fresh shiitake mushrooms, select those with a moderate cap size, tightly closed, and a slightly yellow-brown color. If you see dark brown mushrooms, do not buy them, as they may be toxic.
- To select good dried mushrooms: choose those that are firm, not broken, bright in color, and without white mold spots. Choose reputable sources to buy dried mushrooms to ensure safety.
Tips for selecting delicious enoki mushrooms:
- Choose mushrooms that are still fresh, not damaged, with intact roots. The mushroom bag should not show any signs of leaking, indicating good quality mushrooms.
- Avoid mushrooms with spots on the stems, or those that have turned yellow, as these may be infected and could affect health.
- Pay attention to the expiry date (if buying mushrooms packed in plastic bags); do not use mushrooms past their expiry date as they can easily cause food poisoning.
- You should also choose to buy mushrooms from reputable addresses to ensure health.
How to prepare Vegetarian Kimchi Hotpot
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Prepare the ingredients
If using dried mushrooms: Clean the dried shiitake mushrooms by rinsing them in water. Then, place them in a bowl of hot water, adding a little salt to soak until soft for about 30 minutes, then remove the mushrooms and squeeze out the excess water. Remove the stems from the mushrooms. The mushroom stems are very tough, and leaving them in while cooking will not taste good. Rinse the mushrooms several times and gently squeeze out the water by hand after each rinse. Then, cut the mushrooms in half for easy eating.
If using fresh shiitake mushrooms: Rinse the fresh mushrooms thoroughly and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Wash the napa cabbage, soak it in saltwater for about 15 minutes to clean, rinse with water, and let it drain. Cut the napa cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
Peel the carrots, radishes, and cassava, wash the red radish, and cut them into small bite-sized pieces. Peel the corn and cut it into sections.
Cut the soft tofu and fried tofu into bite-sized pieces. Clean all types of mushrooms and arrange them in a large bowl.
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Cooking Vegetarian Kimchi Hotpot
Place a pot on the stove, add 1 – 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, turn on medium heat for the oil to heat up, then add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, stir-fry until fragrant, add the vegetarian kimchi, stir well and then add 2 tablespoons of Korean chili powder, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning, stir well for about 1 minute for the spices to blend evenly.
Simmer vegetables for hotpot broth: place a pot on the stove, add about 500 – 600ml of water. Add corn, cassava, and white radish to the pot of water. Cook over medium heat for about 20 – 30 minutes to extract the sweetness.
Add the vegetable broth, stir well to combine the mixture. Once it boils, the hotpot broth is complete, and you can enjoy it with the prepared vegetables.
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Final Product
The vegetarian kimchi hotpot is fragrant, spicy, and deliciously rich with sweet napa cabbage, crunchy mushrooms, and soft tofu, isn’t it wonderful? You can enjoy it with a little vermicelli or noodles, both are very tasty.
Tips for making vegetarian kimchi hotpot
- Korean chili powder can be purchased at spice shops or on e-commerce websites.
- You can use either fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms.
- Fried tofu can be bought pre-fried or you can buy plain tofu and fry it yourself. If you don’t buy pre-made tofu, you can make tofu at home.
See details: How to make delicious and simple tofu at home
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Vegetarian kimchi hotpot is delicious and really easy to make, right? Let’s get into the kitchen and cook this delicious dish for your family. Wishing you success!
*Source of the recipe and images referenced at: NPFamily Recipes
