Chongqing Hotpot

Chongqing hot pot is a different beast from its Sichuan cousin — oilier, fiercer, and eaten with an intensity that reflects the city's character. A divided pot (half spicy, half mild) sits at the centre of the table over a flame. You cook your own ingredients — thinly sliced meat, offal, vegetables, tofu, and noodles — in the bubbling broth. The mala (numbing-spicy) sensation from Sichuan peppercorns and dried chillies is intense and addictive. This is not a meal — it is an event, designed to last 2–3 hours with friends and cold beer.