Saigon Seafood Hot Pot Feast (Lau Hai San)
A bubbling communal pot of lemongrass and tamarind-spiked broth loaded with shrimp, squid, fish, and mussels alongside vibrant vegetables and rice noodles. This Vietnamese hot pot is as much an experience as a meal — everyone gathers around the steaming pot, cooking and eating at their own pace, building flavors that get richer with every ingredient added.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb large shrimp, shell-on
- 1/2 lb squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
- 1/2 lb firm white fish fillets, cut into chunks
- 1/2 lb mussels or clams, scrubbed
+ 13 more ingredients
Instructions
Prepare the broth base: In a large pot or hot pot vessel, bring the stock to a boil. Add lemongrass, smashed garlic, and Thai chilies. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Dissolve tamarind paste in a half cup of warm water and strain out the seeds. Add the tamarind liquid to the broth along with fish sauce and sugar.
Add tomatoes and pineapple chunks to the broth. These give the soup its signature sweet-sour backbone. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
Arrange all the raw seafood, vegetables, and noodles on platters around the hot pot for everyone to see and choose from.
Bring the broth to a rolling boil at the table using a portable burner. Add mussels or clams first since they take the longest — cook until they open, about 4-5 minutes.
Add fish chunks next, cooking for 2-3 minutes until just opaque. Follow with shrimp and squid, which need only 1-2 minutes each.
Add greens and noodles in batches as you eat — the greens wilt quickly and the noodles soften in about 2 minutes.
Ladle the broth, seafood, and vegetables into individual bowls. Squeeze lime over the top and garnish with fresh herbs. The broth gets better as the meal goes on.
Nutrition Estimate
Per serving • Estimated by Blinner AI