With the Chinese New Year wrapping up, I decided to write about a dish I've been obsessed with recently. Chinese hotpot has been trending on the internet for a couple of years now and last year I came across an incredible invention - the Self-Heating hotpot.
Designed for campers and college students, the self-heating hotpot is similar to instant noodles—but with a twist. Instead of adding hot water, it uses a clever built-in mechanism to cook the food with just room-temperature water.
Before getting into the details, firstly;
What is Chinese Hotpot?
If you haven't heard about Chinese Hotpot, it's an interactive dish where vegetables, meat and carbs are served fresh alongside a pot of seasoned broth. You're supposed to dip-boil the ingredients by yourself. The broth is usually placed in the centre of the table and you'll be able to create a dipping sauce to go with the food.
It's one of the most popular meals in China and even in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam.
History of Chinese Hotptot?
There are different origin stories for Hotpot. Some say it has roots back in Mongolia but we all know boiling ingredients in a pot is not a new invention. Civilizations across the world have been brewing in cauldrons and making stews in pots. What's unique about 'Hotpot' is its unique communal nature and of course, the spice.
Hotpot dates back to the Zhou Dynasty (1600-256 BC) and the modern copper hotpot dates back to the 3 Kingdoms era in China, 1000 years back. It became even more famous during the Tang and Song dynasties. Later during the Qing dynasty, Hotpot became a royal favourite.
What's the Difference between Hotpot and Shabu Shabu?
Hotpot and Shabu Shabu differ in flavour and style. Hotpot, originating in China, uses a variety of broths, spices, and dipping sauces, with ingredients cooked together.
Shabu Shabu, from Japan, features lighter broths and thinly sliced meats swirled individually, like fondue.
Shabushi, a popular spot in Thailand, offers a sushi belt and delicious shabu options. I was eager to try it, but the dine-in queue was way too long. If you're heading to Bangkok, be sure to check out Shabushi by Oishi!
What is Haidilao Hotpot?
Haidilao is trending on TikTok for its servers' unique dance moves. It's one of China's largest Mala Hotpot Chains and it serves delicious Sichuan-style hotpot and Haidilao self-heating hotpot.
Sichuan spices literally numb your tongue. And as someone who loves spicy food, and eats spicy food regularly, I myself struggle to handle the intensity of the Sichuan spice.
Types of Hotpot Soup
The Hotpot Soup base is unique to each region. If you go to the mountainous Sichuan Province of China, the soup base you find is super spicy. The Northern and Mongolian-influenced hotpot soup base is less flavourful and pale in colour. And the Korean Jeongol comes with a soy-based soup. The most famous is the spicy Sichuan hotpot.
Origins of Self-Heating Hotpot
Self-heating hotpots entered the market in China in 2016. Previously Japanese inventors tested heating methods however, the production cost of self-heating hotpots was much lower in China. It was inspired by MREs with campers and students in mind, looking for quick, easy-to-prepare full meals. Unlike instant noodles, this heating mechanism is capable of emitting extreme heat continuously for 20 minutes.
It wasn't until the 2020 pandemic that Self-Heating hotpots started making waves. It was convenient, spicy (to satisfy the already numb tastebuds) and affordable.
How do Self-Heating Hotpots work?
Self-heating hotpots rely on exothermic chemical reactions to produce heat without external power sources. Each kit has a food container and a separate heating pad. When water is added to the heating pad, a reaction occurs, producing heat and steam.
This reaction quickly raises the temperature, creating enough heat to cook the food in the upper compartment. The entire process takes 10–15 minutes, and steam vents allow for safe heat release. You only need to pour water into the heating compartment, making it an easy, portable way to enjoy a hot meal anytime.
Self-heating hotpots taste just like regular hotpots, though the vegetables aren’t as fresh. The one I tried was so spicy that my mouth went numb for an hour! Pro tip: Start with just half of the soup base—it’s seriously intense.
What is in the Self-heating Pad?
The self-heating pad has a mix of quicklime (calcium oxide), powdered aluminium, and other heat-generating agents. When water is added, quicklime reacts with water, forming calcium hydroxide and releasing significant heat, producing temperatures exceeding 100°C.
The pad is quite safely made with steam vents and heat insulation to prevent accidents. These are lightweight, disposable, and eco-friendly.
Are Self-heating Hotpots Safe?
I’ve had four self-heating hotpots at home with the doors closed, and it’s completely safe as long as you’re only making one pot at a time and your room has some ventilation. However, keep in mind that the chemical reaction does release a small amount of carbon monoxide, which can still be toxic.
Is Self-heating Hotpot Halal?
Yes. Most self-heating hotpots include only vegetables, fungus and mushrooms. There could be exceptions in which case the package will show some meat on it. Make sure you use Google Translate to confirm it. Zhong Mu Foods manufactures Halal Sichuanese Self-Heating Hotpots, so if you're unsure, look for its name.
Haidilao self-heating hotpots also offer vegetarian and vegan options so be sure to check them out.
Is Self-heating Hotpot Vegan?
Yes. Many Self-Heating hotpots are Vegan. If they're not, they'll have pictures of meat on the packaging. If you want to be extra sure, use Google Translate to check the ingredients. If you want to try Haidilao self-heating hotpots you can look for their plant-based sliced Luncheon option. It's said to be super delicious.
How often Can I Eat Self-heating Hotpot?
Once or twice a week. Think of it as instant noodles but a bit more heavier. While Self-heating hotpots come with fresh ingredients like lotus root, radish and fungus, they also come with a spicy soup base which contains preservatives. Plus self-heating hotpot portions are quite huge - shareable with another in my opinion.
Where to buy Self-heating Hotpot?
You can buy these on Amazon or other online stores. We would recommend the Asian Store for a cheaper price, but if you want to know exactly what's included, buying from an online store would be safer. You can find renowned brands like Haidilao self-heating hotpots online.
Wrapping Up
And there you go! All you need to know about Self-heating hotpots. The quicklime heat-generating agent pretty much steals the show. If you love spicy food, these hotpots are for you. Just though make sure you use half the soup base at first to see whether the spicyness is for your taste.
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