Ma La Xiang Guo (Sichuan Mala Dry Pot, 麻辣香锅)
You can combine your favorite vegetables, meats, tofu, and seafood to create a mouthwatering and spicy Ma La Xiang Guo. This dish is bursting with bold flavors that will leave you craving more. Today, I’ll guide you step by step in making this foolproof Chinese delicacy that’s sure to become a favorite.
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Many people love eating hot pot, but due to its complex preparation, few attempt to make it at home. However, the recent rise of a new hot pot-inspired dish, Ma La Xiang Guo, has provided a great solution. Compared to hot pot, Ma La Xiang Guo is much simpler to prepare.
1. What is Ma La Xiang Guo?
Ma La Xiang Guo originated in Chongqing, China, and is a classic spicy dish from the Sichuan and Chongqing regions. It belongs to the Sichuan cuisine and is known for its numbing, spicy, savory, and aromatic flavors, with a rich and oily texture. The dish is highly versatile, allowing you to mix and match various ingredients based on your preferences, making it especially popular among younger people. In the United States, it is commonly referred to as Ma La Stir-Fry or Dry Pot.
2. How to Enjoy Ma La Xiang Guo
When you walk into a Chinese restaurant to enjoy Ma La Xiang Guo, you’ll notice an array of ingredients neatly displayed behind a glass counter. To order, simply choose your preferred ingredients, such as tofu, lettuce, or beef. The staff will separate the vegetables and meats into two large bowls. The price is based on the weight of your selections, and you can customize the level of spiciness to your liking—from mild to medium, hot, or even extra spicy. Once cooked, a fragrant, steaming bowl of Ma La Xiang Guo will be brought to your table, ready for you to dig in and enjoy.
If you’d like to try making Ma La Xiang Guo at home, follow my step-by-step guide below. I’ve included a detailed recipe for you to reference.
Ma La Xiang Guo has recently become very popular in the United States as well. I’ve tried it at several excellent restaurants in New York, and their versions were incredibly flavorful.
3. Common Ingredients Paired with Ma La Xiang Guo
The ingredients for Ma La Xiang Guo typically include vegetables, meats, and seafood.
Common vegetables used are napa cabbage, spinach, potatoes, lotus root, carrots, and cauliflower. Among these, potatoes, lotus root, and carrots are more robust and require blanching in boiling water before cooking. Additionally, quick-cooking vegetables like mushrooms, tofu, and onions are also popular and can be directly stir-fried with the seasoning.
As for meats, popular choices include beef, lamb, chicken, beef balls, and pork belly. Seafood is also a favorite, with options like shrimp, crab, fish fillets, and squid. Ultimately, you can mix and match ingredients according to your personal taste preferences.
4. Ingredients and Substitutes
Here are the ingredients I use for making Ma La Xiang Guo:
Meats: Pork belly, shrimp. Feel free to add other meats you enjoy.
Vegetables: Celtuce, cauliflower, lotus root slices, celery, garlic, dried tofu skin, and bamboo shoots.
Seasonings: Ginger, star anise, dried chili peppers, soy sauce, bay leaves, chili powder, tsao-ko, cinnamon, doubanjiang (spicy bean paste), fermented black beans, white sesame seeds, salt, chicken bouillon, sugar, and cooking oil.
Important Tip:
These ingredients are commonly found, and you can purchase doubanjiang at any Chinese supermarket.
5. Why I’m Sharing This Recipe
As a native of Sichuan, I’ve deeply missed the authentic taste of Ma La Xiang Guo since leaving China. Unfortunately, many restaurants abroad just don’t capture the true flavor of home. This inspired me to dive into researching the dish and to consult with several Chinese chef friends. After numerous attempts, I finally succeeded in recreating this beloved dish one Friday.
I’m sharing this recipe because I know there are many people like me who long for the taste of home, and others who are eager to explore the flavors of Ma La Xiang Guo. I hope this recipe will help those who want to relive the authentic taste of Sichuan or discover the charm of this incredible dish.
6. Can You Use Hot Pot Base?
Yes, you can.
The key to making Ma La Xiang Guo lies in the base sauce. If the base sauce is well-prepared, the dish will naturally taste great. If you don’t want to make the sauce from scratch, you can use a hot pot base as a substitute. This option not only saves time but also guarantees a delicious result.
However, using a hot pot base has its limitations. Since the base already comes with pre-mixed flavors and spice levels, you won’t have as much control over the taste. This could be an issue for those who prefer a milder dish, as hot pot bases are often quite spicy.
Important Tip:
You can also make your own hot pot base. I’ve previously shared a Sichuan Hot Pot Broth Recipe. If you’re interested, you can try making it yourself.
7. What to Pair It With
Because Ma La Xiang Guo has such bold and intense flavors, it pairs well with plain white rice or lighter soups, such as Homemade Egg Drop Soup. These milder sides help balance the richness of the dish.
Now that you have a good understanding of how to make delicious Ma La Xiang Guo, let’s dive in and start preparing this tasty dish together!
INGREDIENTS
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- 300g Celtuce (Lettuce Stem)
- 30g Cauliflower
- 50g Pork Belly
- 150g Bamboo Shoots
- 40g Celery
- 30g Dried Tofu Skin
- 120g Shrimp
- 150g Lotus Root
ACCESSORIES
- 4g Dried Chili Peppers
- 7-8 Cloves of Garlic
- Half a Large Onion
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Doubanjiang (Spicy Bean Paste)
- 1 Tablespoon Fermented Black Beans
- 6g Ginger
SEASONINGS
- 4 Star Anise
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 10 Bay Leaves
- 4 Tsao-Ko (Tsaoko)
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- White Sesame Seeds (to taste)
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Chicken Bouillon
- 1 Teaspoon Sugar
- 400ml Cooking Oil
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Prepare 150g of lotus root, 150g of bamboo shoots, and 30g of cauliflower.
STEP 2
Prepare 300g of celtuce and 40g of celery.
STEP 3
Soak 30g of dried tofu skin and 20 shrimp, then set them aside.
STEP 4
Clean 50g of pork belly and cut it into small pieces.
STEP 5
Wash the lotus root, cauliflower, bamboo shoots, celery, and celtuce. Cut them into 2-3 cm pieces and set them aside.
Tip:
I didn’t take a photo of the lotus root, but you can simply slice it.
STEP 6
Take out the 20 shrimp, trim the antennae, and carefully cut open the back to remove the shrimp veins.
STEP 7
Wash and chop 7-8 cloves of garlic, half a large onion, and 6g of ginger, then set them aside.
STEP 8
Prepare the following spices: 10 bay leaves, 4 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, and 4 tsao-ko.
STEP 9
Blanch the cut bamboo shoots in boiling water to remove any bitterness.
STEP 10
Prepare the Base Oil: In a pan, add 200ml of cooking oil. Add the bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon stick, and tsao-ko. Heat over low heat to infuse the oil with the spices, then remove and discard the spices.
STEP 11
In a separate pan, heat oil and add the celtuce. Fry until it’s half-cooked, then remove and set aside.
STEP 12
Fry the lotus root slices in the same way.
STEP 13
Fry the cauliflower in the same manner.
STEP 14
Fry the tofu skin and bamboo shoots similarly.
STEP 15
Finally, fry the shrimp.
STEP 16
Remove all the fried ingredients and place them on a plate for later use.
STEP 17
In a separate wok, heat half a cup of the fried base oil until it reaches medium heat. Add the cut pork belly and cook until it is golden brown and crispy, similar to the texture of twice-cooked pork. Remove the pork belly and set it aside. In the same wok, add the ginger, garlic, and onion chunks, and sauté over low heat until fragrant.
STEP 18
Add a small amount of Sichuan peppercorns and 1 tablespoon of chili powder to the wok.
STEP 19
Add a few dried chili peppers, chopped fermented black beans, and 1 tablespoon of doubanjiang (spicy bean paste).
STEP 20
Stir-fry until the oil turns red and aromatic.
STEP 21
Add the fried lotus root, cauliflower, bamboo shoots, tofu skin, and celtuce to the wok. Toss them well to mix.
STEP 22
Then add the pork belly and shrimp. Season with a bit of salt, chicken bouillon, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir-fry until everything is well combined and seasoned.
STEP 23
Finally, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, mix well, and remove from heat.
STEP 24
Your delicious Ma La Xiang Guo is now ready to enjoy!
Recipe analyzer
- Recipes: Ma La Xiang Guo (Sichuan Mala Dry Pot, 麻辣香锅)
- Main Ingredients:14
- Servings per recipe:1
- Servings size:1.1 kg
-
Energy (calories)：803 kcal
-
Protein：50.5 g
-
Fat：36.33 g
Why gray?
-
Carbohydrates：79.92 g
-
Protein: 23%181 kcal
-
Fat: 40%322 kcal
-
Carbohydrates: 37%300 kcal
The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.
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