How to make rich, delicious, and easy sturgeon hotpot at home

Sturgeon hotpot is a beloved dish thanks to its firm meat, few bones, natural sweetness, and versatility when paired with various vegetables and spices. Depending on regional tastes, sturgeon hotpot can be adapted into many appealing versions such as spicy and sour hotpot, sour bamboo shoot hotpot, Northern-style sturgeon hotpot, or fermented rice (mẻ) sturgeon hotpot. If you are looking to prepare a delicious hotpot for your family yourself, let’s join Ola Squid in checking out the detailed methods in this article! Besides warm meals, if you’re looking for a quick, savory treat, you can explore our premium dried seafood at our store.

1. How to cook spicy and sour sturgeon hotpot

Spicy and sour sturgeon hotpot has a harmonious flavor balance between a tangy sourness and a mild spiciness, perfect for gatherings on the weekend.

1.1. Required ingredients

To cook a delicious spicy and sour sturgeon hotpot, you need to prepare the following ingredients:

• 1 sturgeon weighing about 1kg
• 1 pineapple, 3-4 tomatoes
• A small amount of enoki mushrooms, a few chili peppers
• 1 red onion, 2 garlic cloves
• 2 stalks of lemongrass, 1/2 galangal root
• A bit of green onion, paddy herb, fresh rice noodles
• 5 tablespoons calamansi juice, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil, 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
• A little rice vinegar, 1 packet of Thai hotpot seasoning
• 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoning powder
• Vegetables: water spinach, water mimosa, or other vegetables of your choice

1.2 How to make it

Step 1 – Prepare the sturgeon: After purchasing the sturgeon, remove the intestines and gills. Use salt and a little vinegar to gently rub all over the fish body for a few minutes to clean off the slime and remove fishy odors, then rinse with clean water and pat dry. Next, cut the fish into chunks about 2 fingers thick so that the fish maintains its firmness and sweetness when cooked.

Step 2 – Prepare other ingredients: 

• Wash tomatoes and cut into wedges. Clean green onions and paddy herbs, then chop finely.
• Clean and mince the lemongrass and galangal. Peel the pineapple, remove the eyes and core, then dice it.
• Cut the chili in half, slicing some to create a mild heat for the hotpot broth. Peel and thinly slice the red onion and garlic.
• Place tomatoes, pineapple, some chili, galangal, and lemongrass in a blender to puree, helping the hotpot broth have a natural sweet and sour flavor and fragrant aroma.

Step 3 – Cook the hotpot broth: 

• Place a pot on the stove, add cooking oil, heat it, and sauté the red onion, garlic, lemongrass, and galangal until fragrant. When the ingredients are aromatic, add the pureed tomato and pineapple mixture and stir well.
• Continue by pouring about 2 liters of water into the pot and bring to a boil. When the water starts boiling, add the sturgeon and cook until it boils again.
• Then, season with Thai hotpot spices, tomato paste, sugar, calamansi juice, fish sauce, seasoning powder, and a little salt.
• Boil for a few more minutes for the fish to cook and the broth to become flavorful. Finally, add green onions, paddy herbs, and sliced chili to enhance the aroma.

Step 4 – Enjoy: Spicy and sour sturgeon hotpot can be served with fresh rice noodles, enoki mushrooms, water spinach, or water mimosa, depending on your preference. The broth has a tangy, mild spicy flavor that blends with the natural sweetness of the sturgeon, creating an irresistible taste. When eating, you can dip the fish in chili fish sauce to make the dish even richer.

See more: 8 simple and authentic ways to cook fish hotpot at home

2. How to make sturgeon hotpot with sour bamboo shoots

Sturgeon hotpot with sour bamboo shoots has a light, savory, and very palatable taste, especially suitable for those who enjoy dishes with a gentle sourness.

2.1. Ingredients

The ingredients needed to prepare a delicious sturgeon hotpot with sour bamboo shoots are as follows:

• Sturgeon (about 1kg)
• 300g sour bamboo shoots
• 1/2 pineapple, 2 – 3 tomatoes
• 2 – 3 stalks of green onion, 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 – 2 chili peppers, 2 stalks of lemongrass
• 1 ginger root, 2 – 3 tablespoons tamarind paste
• Seasoning: salt, seasoning powder, sugar, MSG, and fish sauce.

2.2. Execution method

Step 1 – Prepare ingredients: After buying the sturgeon, wash it clean, and you can soak it in dilute saltwater for about 10 minutes to remove any fishy smell, then pat dry. Rinse the sour bamboo shoots multiple times; if you want to reduce the harsh sourness, you can blanch them in boiling water. Cut tomatoes into wedges, peel the pineapple, and slice thinly. Mince the garlic, and crush the lemongrass and ginger. Wash green onions and herbs and let them drain.

Step 2 – Cook the hotpot broth: 

• Next, place a pot on the stove, heat cooking oil, and sauté the garlic and lemongrass until fragrant. Then, stir-fry the tomatoes lightly to create a beautiful color for the broth.
• Pour about 1.5 – 2 liters of water into the pot, boil it, then add tamarind paste, chili, and seasonings like salt, seasoning powder, fish sauce, and sugar to create a tangy, rich flavor.
• When the broth boils, add the sturgeon and sour bamboo shoots, cooking for another 5 – 10 minutes until the fish is just cooked.

Step 3 – Enjoy: When the hotpot is ready, place it on a portable stove and serve hot. This dish is great with vegetables for dipping, fresh rice noodles, or ramen. The tangy broth combined with soft, sweet sturgeon meat creates an irresistibly attractive flavor.

See more: How to cook delicious squid hotpot: fresh squid, light and sweet broth

3. How to cook Northern-style sturgeon hotpot

Northern-style sturgeon hotpot often has a delicate taste, fragrant with dill and green onions, very characteristic of Northern cuisine.

3.1. Ingredients

The ingredients you need to prepare for a rich Northern-style sturgeon hotpot include:

• Sturgeon (about 1kg)
• 500g pork marrow bones
• 3 tomatoes, 1/2 pineapple
• 100g green onions, dill, paddy herb
• 1 fresh galangal root, 3 stalks of lemongrass
• 2 red onions, 5 garlic cloves
• Seasoning: fish sauce, seasoning powder, salt, sugar, and a little MSG.

3.2. Execution method

Step 1 – Prepare ingredients: 

• Wash the sturgeon with dilute saltwater; you can add a little vinegar or white wine to remove fishy smells, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Clean the pork bones and blanch in boiling water to remove impurities. Peel the pineapple, remove eyes and cut into small pieces, and wash/wedge the tomatoes.
• Peel and crush the galangal, lemongrass, garlic, and red onion to enhance the aroma when cooking. Clean and chop the green onions, dill, and paddy herb.

Step 2 – Cook the hotpot broth: 

• Next, put the pork bones in a pot with about 2 liters of water and simmer for 1 – 1.5 hours to extract a sweet, clear broth, regularly skimming off any foam.
• In the meantime, sauté the galangal, lemongrass, garlic, and red onion mixture until fragrant, then add tomatoes to soften, followed by pineapple, and stir lightly.
• Once the bone broth is sweet enough, add the sautéed mixture and season with fish sauce, salt, seasoning powder, sugar, and a little MSG to taste. Boil for a few more minutes for the flavors to meld.

Step 3 – Enjoy: When serving, place the hotpot pot on the stove and add the sturgeon until just cooked. Northern-style sturgeon hotpot has a light sweetness from the bone broth, mixed with the fragrance of galangal and lemongrass and a gentle sourness from the pineapple, very appealing when served with green vegetables, mushrooms, fresh noodles, or ramen. 

4. How to cook fermented rice (mẻ) sturgeon hotpot

Fermented rice sturgeon hotpot has a characteristic tangy sour taste, which highly stimulates the palate and makes the dish even more appealing.

4.1. Ingredients

The ingredients you need to prepare for a tangy, rich fermented rice sturgeon hotpot are as follows:

• 1 sturgeon (about 1kg)
• 100g fermented rice (mẻ) (equivalent to 1/2 small bowl)
• 200g water lily, 200g banana blossom
• 3 stalks of celery, 3 stalks of saw-tooth herb
• 2 stalks of lemongrass, 1 bulb of garlic
• 2 lemongrass leaves, 3 chili peppers, 1 lime
• 2 stalks of paddy herb

4.2. Execution method

Step 1 – Prepare sturgeon: After purchasing, soak the sturgeon in water mixed with salt and vinegar for 3 – 5 minutes to clean the slime layer. Use a knife to lightly scrape the slime on the skin, then rub with lime to remove any fishy odor. Next, gut the fish, remove the organs, rinse with clean water, and cut into bite-sized chunks.

Step 2 – Prepare other ingredients: Peel and mince the garlic. Clean and mince the lemongrass and chili, mixing them with garlic to create a fragrant spice blend. Clean the banana blossom, water lily, and celery, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Clean the paddy herb and saw-tooth herb, chopping them to enhance the hotpot broth flavor.

Step 3 – Cook the hotpot broth: 

• Heat cooking oil in a pot, add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, then add half of the lemongrass-chili mixture and stir well. Pour about 1 liter of water into the pot; when the water boils, strain the fermented rice into it to create the characteristic sour flavor.
• Continue to season with seasoning powder, sugar, and fish sauce, stirring well for the seasonings to blend.
• When the hotpot broth boils vigorously, add the sturgeon, lemongrass leaves, and the remaining lemongrass-chili mixture, cooking for about 20 – 25 minutes for the fish to cook and absorb the flavors.

Step 4 – Enjoy: When the fish is cooked tender, add the banana blossom, water lily, celery, paddy herb, and saw-tooth herb into the pot. Cook for a few more minutes for the vegetables to just wilt, then adjust seasoning to taste and turn off the heat. Fermented rice sturgeon hotpot has a characteristic tangy sour taste and soft, sweet fish meat, perfect for eating hot with fresh noodles and side vegetables.

>>> See similar delicious dishes: What are delicious sturgeon dishes? Summary of easy-to-make recipes at home

5. How to prepare sturgeon so it is not fishy

To ensure the sturgeon hotpot is delicious and not fishy, you should prepare the fish properly according to these steps:

• Remove organs: After purchasing, remove the intestines and gills, and clean the blood trapped in the belly and along the spine.
• Clean slime layer: Next, use coarse salt or lime juice to rub gently on the fish body to remove slime. Alternatively, you can quickly blanch the fish in boiling water then rinse with cold water.
• Cut into chunks: After cleaning, cut the fish into bite-sized pieces. The fish head can be kept to simmer the broth, helping the hotpot become naturally sweeter.

6. Some notes when making sturgeon hotpot

To ensure the sturgeon hotpot is delicious, clear, and flavorful, note the following points:

• Choose fresh fish: Select live sturgeon or fish with bright bodies, shiny skin, red gills, and clear eyes to ensure freshness.
• Proper preparation: Use dilute salt, white wine, or lime to wash the fish to reduce fishy smells and clean the skin slime.
• Add fish when the broth is boiling: This helps prevent the fish from becoming fishy, keeps the meat firm, and maintains the clarity of the broth.

• Cook broth on medium heat: Simmer to let the ingredients release natural sweetness and allow the fish to cook evenly without falling apart.
• Regularly skim the foam: Remove foam while cooking to make the broth clearer and lighter.
• Do not overcook the fish: The ideal cooking time for the fish is about 8-10 minutes after boiling to retain its sweetness and firmness.
• Do not stir vigorously: Avoid excessive stirring in the pot as it can break the fish and make the hotpot broth cloudy.
• Add herbs and side ingredients last: Herbs like saw-tooth herb, paddy herb, or corn, potatoes, mushrooms should be added last.
• Season carefully: Adjust seasonings gradually so the hotpot is not too salty; taste again before serving.

7. Which sturgeon is best for hotpot?

Domestic sturgeon (Vietnamese sturgeon) is generally considered the best choice for hotpot thanks to its firm meat, few small bones, and natural sweetness. Besides, Russian sturgeon is also quite popular, suitable for large hotpot parties due to its large size. When choosing fish, prioritize live or very fresh ones, weighing about 1.5 – 2kg for the best texture, fragrance, and to help the hotpot broth become more flavorful. If you enjoy premium treats beyond hotpot, visit our dried squid collection for a perfect savory appetizer.

>>> See more:

• What is the price of sturgeon today? Latest updates
• Is sturgeon caviar good? Classification, prices, how to eat and store it

Hopefully, with the detailed instructions above, you know how to cook a delicious, flavorful sturgeon hotpot to treat your family and friends during gatherings. Just pick fresh fish, season harmoniously, and follow the steps correctly, and you can easily create an appealing hotpot at home. If you want to explore more delicious recipes, tips for selecting high-quality fresh ingredients,… don’t forget to visit the Ola Squid Blog to update more useful and interesting articles.