The most famous dish from Chongqing is its hot pot. If you don’t know where Chongqing is, it is located in central-southern part of China, east of Sichuan providence. If i could describe it, hot pot is no different than soup that is constantly cooking, except is extremely spicy. Even though I’m from Chongqing, I can’t clearly tell you what hot pot is made of. One thing I am sure is that is has a lot of red pepper in it.

Hot pot (Before cooking)

The most enjoyable way to eat hot pot is with a large group of people. You can order a variety of uncooked food such as sliced meats, potatoes, leafy greens, bean sprouts, tofu, rice noodles, and much more then cook in the hot pot. Once your food is done, dip it in the sauce that is made of a mixture sesame oil, crushed garlic, salt, black vinegar, and even oyster sauce. If you find the food to be too spicy, you can ask for a hot with a non-spicy section in it (like the center section of this hot pot), which is also healthier than the spicy hot pot.

Unfortunately, there is a down side to eating this authentic Chongqing meal. If you are not used to eating really spicy and greasy food, eating hot pot might be very discomforting. If you eat too much, it might cause stomach-ache, diarrhea, and mild fever. Cooked hot pot

If you are ever in Chongqing, hot pot is the one thing you MUST try. Hot pot restaurants in Chongqing are like Starbucks in the U.S. They are everywhere. I can’t suggest a particular one to you, because they all taste very similar to me. My tip is to find a hot pot restaurant that is sanitary and where you can request how spicy you want the pot to be.