David Herbert’s Asian-style hotpot recipes

These Asian-style dishes are great for entertaining — bring the pot to the table and let your guests add their rice and condiments.

Feast: it’s a great way to cook for friends. Picture: Guy Bailey

These Asian-style dishes can be assembled in the kitchen, or bring the pot to the table and let your guests add rice and condiments to taste. Grab a spoon and chopsticks and dig in!

Yum: coconut chicken. Picture: Guy Bailey

Coconut chicken

1.2kg chicken

2 brown onions, roughly chopped

2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and bruised

1 tablespoon sliced fresh ginger

6 garlic cloves

2 spring onions, roughly chopped

2 long red chillies

2 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander stems

3 teaspoons ground turmeric

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium tomato, chopped

250ml (1 cup) coconut milk

150g dried vermicelli noodles

To serve

Steamed rice

100g bean sprouts

2 tablespoons deep-fried shallots

2 limes, quartered

Sambal oelek

Place chicken in a large saucepan with onions, lemongrass, half the ginger and 2 whole garlic cloves. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 60 minutes, skimming the surface regularly. Set aside to cool in the stock for 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large plate. Strain and reserve the stock, discarding the solids. When cool enough to handle, roughly shred chicken. Place remaining ginger, chopped remaining garlic, spring onions, chillies, coriander stems, turmeric and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a food processor and pulse to a paste. Heat remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add paste and cook for about 5 minutes. Pour in reserved chicken stock and bring to the boil. Add tomato, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add chicken and coconut milk; simmer for 3 minutes. Season to taste. Add noodles and simmer until tender. To serve, put some rice in each person’s bowl, then top with vermicelli and bean sprouts. Ladle in some chicken and soup and top with deep-fried shallots. Squeeze over lime juice and serve sambal oelek on the side. Serves 4-6

Prawn & veg noodles

2 litres chicken stock

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2cm piece fresh ginger, grated

Zest 1 lime

1 star anise

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

300g soft egg noodles

4 large Chinese cabbage (wombok) leaves, sliced

650g green prawns, shelled and deveined

400g firm tofu, cut into cubes

250g Asian mushrooms such as shiitake, enoki or oyster

Coriander sprigs, sliced spring onions and bean sprouts, to serve

Dipping sauce

3 tablespoons black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 small red chilli, finely chopped

Combine stock, garlic, ginger, zest, star anise and soy in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add noodles, cabbage, prawns, tofu and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Combine ingredients for the dipping sauce and serve alongside he coriander, spring onions and bean sprouts. Serves 4