Li Hongzhang Hotpot (Hefe Za Dun)
李鸿章杂烩
A rich Anhui 'everything pot' — premium ingredients like sea cucumber, fish maw, and chicken braised together. Named after a Qing dynasty diplomat.
📋 Ingredients
What Is Li Hongzhang Hotpot (Hefe Za Dun)?
💡 Ingredient Notes: Li Hongzhang Hotpot (李鸿章杂烩, Lǐ Hóngzhāng zá huì) is a famous Anhui dish named after the Qing dynasty diplomat. Legend says Li needed to serve foreign guests quickly, so he threw together premium ingredients — sea cucumber, fish maw, chicken, ham, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, quail eggs — into one pot and braised them. The result was so good it became a classic. It's a luxurious 'everything pot' — each ingredient contributes its own character to the rich, complex broth. A celebratory dish served at Anhui banquets.
Ingredients You'll Need
The Proteins
- 200g cooked chicken, shredded
- 100g sea cucumber (soaked), sliced
- 100g fish maw (soaked), sliced
- 100g Jinhua ham or prosciutto, sliced
- 8 quail eggs, boiled and peeled
Vegetables
- 50g dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked
- 100g bamboo shoots, sliced
- 50g wood ear mushrooms, soaked
Broth
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp cooking wine
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 slices ginger
📝 Instructions
Prep ingredients
Soak dried sea cucumber, fish maw, and mushrooms separately until soft (sea cucumber and fish maw need 24+ hours). Blanch each briefly.
Layer the pot
Heat oil in a clay pot. Add ginger, then ham and chicken. Stir-fry 1 minute. Add sea cucumber, fish maw, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and quail eggs.
Braise
Pour in stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and cooking wine. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes. Each ingredient should be tender and the broth rich.
Thicken and serve
Add cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce to a glossy gravy. Serve directly from the clay pot at the table.
💡 Pro Tips
- 💡Soak dried ingredients ahead of time — sea cucumber and fish maw need 24-48 hours. Plan accordingly.
- 💡Simplify if needed — skip expensive ingredients. Chicken, mushrooms, bamboo, and ham alone make a great dish.
- 💡The broth is the point — it should be rich, complex, and glossy from the starch and gelatin.
📊 Nutrition Facts
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I simplify this? Yes — use chicken, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, ham, and quail eggs. Skip the sea cucumber and fish maw. Still delicious.
