Let's begin with hot pot. Although the first reference of the Chinese hot pot can be found in the history of Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD), the dish was not particularly popular back then. It was during the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420–589 AD) that hot pot began to be known more widely among Chinese people. Its popularity later soared in China's extremely cold, northern regions. The dish is very similar to today's Shabu-shabu in that a variety of ingredients like pork belly, beef, mutton, chicken and seafood are boiled quickly before serving. In the Northern Song dynasty (960–1126), there was a hot pot market in Kaifeng, a city of Henan province. In the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), it was the winter delicacy of the royal family. From the end of the Qing dynasty to the first days of the People's Republic of China, regional variations were introduced and they still can be enjoyed today.

 Next, let's look at the history of malatang. The dish originated in the region near the Yangtze River and created by boatmen and laborers. To overcome the limitations of time and space, they invented a quick and easy cooking method using ingredients they could easily find near the river. The tradition continued for generations. Then, a small business man of a river pier found a business opportunity in the dish and developed a convenient way to cook and eat malatang. After considerable efforts, malatang became widely popular. These days, it is regarded as a predecessor and a simplified form of hot pot.

 Now, are you ready to learn how to eat hot pot? To write this story, I visited a hot pot restaurant with my Chinese friends. First, we need to browse the menu carefully. Generally, hot pot is served in a big pot that contains one or two flavors of stock, and shared by everyone in a kind of "dining party" type setup. Some restaurants offer individual pots so each diner can choose the flavor and type of stock he or she desires. The place I visited with friends was the latter. I first chose a stock flavor and then made a sauce to dip in various meat, seafood and vegetables. As you can see in the first photo, there are a variety of spices available, which means diners can flavor the sauces as they like. The key feature of hot pot is that you cook and eat an assortment of ingredients at the table, while a pot of stock keeps simmering. Since the stock is kept boiling, various tastes from ingredients are mixed together to make thick and rich soup, which is the best part of the dish.

 Then, it's time to try malatang. Whenever I want some hot and hearty soup, I often have malatang because I can choose the ingredients I want to eat and it's really convenient. What is the first step you should take at a malatang restaurant? As you see in the first photo, you need to get a pair of tongs and bowl. Pick whatever ingredients you want to eat with the tongs, place them in the bowl, hand to a clerk while selecting a stock flavor (e.g. very spicy, less spicy). The clerk will then take your order to the kitchen where the stock and ingredients are broiled. Once ready, the well-cooked, flavorful malatang of your choice is served in a bowl. I urge you to try malatang, which is more convenient to prepare and eat than hot pot.

 Concluding the story, I would like to share one more tip for enjoying these traditional Chinese dishes. Usually, Chinese people drink Jia Duo Bao or Wang Lao Ji, when they eat hot pot or malatang, since the drinks help alleviate the spiciness of the food. I highly recommend trying these drinks for their delicate herbal taste.

 In this column, I introduced two Chinese dishes with diverse mouthfeel and excitement, hot pot and malatang. But, which one whets your appetite most?