Its name literally means “fire pot” and it is a very traditional way of cooking that has its roots in China and has also reached Zaragoza. With this description, many may have guessed that it is hot pot , a set of meals that are cooked in a hot broth located in the center of a table and among the foods, some stand out such as meat, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, eggs. , seafood or even noodles.
Fresh food is cut very finely to prepare it for cooking in the hot pot . In this way, the pot is placed on the table and kept warm using propane or alternatively with some lit charcoal embers. Once you have the broth, the vegetables and meat are loaded individually with the help of chopsticks with very short cooking periods since the meat only needs about 15 or 30 seconds to be cooked. Without a doubt, an original way of going out to dinner that is very popular in the Asian giant and has landed strongly in the Aragonese capital.
SHOOLOONGKAN HOT POT RESTAURANT
At the moment, there are only two establishments in Zaragoza specialized in this type of food and the newest is the Hot Pot Shooloongkan restaurant. A location located at 26 Francisco Vitoria Street that opened its doors in 2024 and has already become a true success.
It is a unique and very fun gastronomic experience that allows Zaragoza residents to enjoy an ancient Chinese tradition. On the menu, there is a combination of fresh ingredients such as meats, vegetables or noodles and, in addition, diners make their own broths to their liking. The first step is precisely to make the broth using the tablet and then choose the ingredients such as dim sum, angus meat, wagyu meat or homemade noodles.
In addition, there are also typical drinks such as plum granita, herbal soda or coconut milk , perfect for spicy food. When you finish tasting the savory food, if there is still room, they have some sweet options for dessert. As a curiosity, this restaurant was precisely the place chosen by the Chinese ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing, to “feel at home” during his visit to the Aragonese capital.
YUANLAOSI HOTPOT ZARAGOZA
Another of the authentic hot pots landed in 2023 at La Torre Outlet Zaragoza and it is Yuanlaosi Hot Pot. As in the other, the first step is always to choose the flavor of the broths. Tomato soup, spicy broth, mushroom broth or bone broth are some options to choose from. Many gastronomy experts claim that it is precisely in the broth where the soul of hot pot lies.
The most complicated part comes when choosing the fresh food to prepare. From chicken breasts to beef tongue and pork belly, lettuce, red shrimp, noodles or Korean rice cake . Without a doubt, a great diversity of options in which the estimated cooking time is indicated next to each of the ingredients. An original way to taste authentic Chinese cuisine without leaving Zaragoza.