Hotpot Quach Xi is a popular dish originating from Guangdong, China and has become a popular dish in Saigon. Currently, there are also Hotpot Quach Xi restaurants in Hanoi. Quach Xi is simply pork bones. For Northerners, the two words Quach Xi may sound unfamiliar, but in fact, it is a very familiar dish, which is a stewed bone. After taking the broth, the stewed bones are carefully picked to extract the meat, tendons, and dipped in seasonings. Alternatively, the broth can be further cooked with various seasonings to make a bone hotpot, which is called Hotpot Quach Xi in the South.
Hotpot Quach Xi can be made with long bones, pig head bones, spine bones, rib bones… Depending on individual preferences. Among them, pig head bones, also known as skull bones, are loved by many people for making Hotpot Quach Xi.
Pig head bones are the skull bones after removing the outer meat, leaving only tendons and a little meat. This part of the bone is sold at a very cheap price, just a few tens of thousands for a whole pig head.
How to make Hotpot Quach Xi with pig head bones
Ingredients: 1 pig head bone, can be chopped to fit the family pot size.
1 white radish,
1 carrot
1 onion
1 pear (the pear helps sweeten and clear the broth)
1-2 corn
chicken drumstick mushrooms, chrysanthemum vegetables, kale, celery, amount according to the family
Seasonings: salt, peppercorns…
Preparation:
When bringing the pig head bones home, soak them in cool water to clean the blood. Then briefly blanch them to remove any unpleasant smell, or rinse with ginger wine.
Put the blanched and rinsed bones in cold water and bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat. Simmer the bones for about 1 hour to extract sweet broth and tender meat. Skim off any foam if there is any in the pot.
Wash the fruits and vegetables.
Cut the carrots and radishes into pieces, cut the pears into pieces. If possible, they can be cut into flower shapes for a more beautiful presentation.
Cut the celery into sections. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
Rinse the chicken drumstick mushrooms with salted ginger water to remove any unpleasant smell.
How to cook Hotpot Quach Xi
After simmering the bones, add the pears, carrots, and radishes to the pot for another 30 minutes to make a sweet broth. If you have green peppercorns, add a little green peppercorns for aroma.
After the fruits and vegetables have released their sweetness, season the broth with salt, fish sauce, and chicken stock powder according to your family’s taste. Add green onions, cilantro…
Bring the pot of hotpot to the table, then dip the various vegetables. Serve with vermicelli or thin noodles.
Dipping sauce: Use soup powder or roasted and ground salt, mix with pepper, chili, and lime. Alternatively, you can make a dipping sauce with pure fish sauce, adding chili, garlic, and lime.
On chilly days, a steaming and fragrant Hotpot Quach Xi is very attractive, especially for men.