SC - online cookbooks

[Cindy M. Renfrow]

>  I am very interested in finding more about this sort of things...

The hot pots generally are either a hot coal thing or an electric fondue 
pot etc. It is filled with a clear broth of some type.  Traditionally, the 
Mongols would have sliced lamb or mutton and dipped it into the hot 
liquid.  Also goat would have been used.  What ever meats would have been 
available.

It appears that the Chinese adapted this recipe, by adding various thin 
meats such as poultry, beef or pork cut up.  If you have lots of money or 
access to good seafood, prawns, crayfish, lobster or other firm seafood are 
sometimes used.  Vegetables such as boc choi, sugar peas, lemon grass can 
be used.  Don't forget the noodles could be cooked this way also.  LIke 
shrimp or sausage filled won tons.  Meats need not be  marinated.

The items are typically,  dipped into the hot liquid until desired 
doneness.  Then they are dipped into your favorite dipping sauces.  For me, 
housin, hot mustard, sweet and sour, peanut(admittedly more Thai).  Please 
not the Mongolian recipes for sauces I have seen are typically very hot. By 
definition, not period.  I typical open one of my Asian cookbooks and pick 
some.

Traditionally, Since chopsticks are used, If an item falls into the pot it 
is left there.  When your guests are full of this course, have a short 
break of conversation, teas etc.  During this time, I usually add or adjust 
the seasonings to make a hot and sour soup out of the remaining brooth and 
ingredients.  Never the same twice.

For dessert, try steamed dumplings.  An easy way to do this is to take pre 
made raw biscuits and fill them with a little plum sauce or what ever you 
favorite filling would be.

Hope this helps.  I am  going to go look at the site other other poster 
sent.  never can have enough recipes.

Still looking for a period reference other than its been done for a 
thousand years.  Cooks camp will get a hot pot or firepot if it is found.

Frederich