Ingredients
The broth:
- 2 large chickens, cut into pieces
- 8 quarts water
- 6 stalks fresh lemongrass (bottom 5 inches only)
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 grinds fresh pepper
The dipping sauce:
- 4 lemons
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup nuoc mam
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili-garlic sauce, plus more to taste
The vegetables (choose 5 to 6):
- 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into 6 wedges
- 4 small zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut across into 2-inch pieces
- 8 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and crosswise
- 16 asparagus tips with 2 inches of stalk left on
- 16 shiitake or white mushrooms, stemmed
- 2 small heads Napa cabbage, quartered and tied together with string
- 2 small taro roots, peeled and cut into chunks about 3/4 inch by 1 1/2 inches
- 16 scallions, white and light green parts only
- 4 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 heads broccoli, florets only
The seafood (choose 5 to 6):
- 1 pound salmon fillet, cut into chunks about 2 inches by 1 inch by 1/2 inch
- 1 pound tuna steak, cut into chunks about 2 inches by 1 inch by 1/2 inch
- 1 pound sea bass fillet, cut into chunks about 2 inches by 1 inch by 1/2 inch
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 pound sea scallops
- 16 littleneck clams
- 16 small mussels
- 1 pound squid, cut into rings
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
1430 calories; 58 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 21 grams monounsaturated fat; 13 grams polyunsaturated fat; 88 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams dietary fiber; 32 grams sugars; 140 grams protein; 552 milligrams cholesterol; 3063 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
Eight servings
Preparation
- At least one day before serving, make the broth by placing the chickens in a large stockpot. Add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and skim off the foam as it rises. Cook 10 minutes. Add the lemongrass, coriander, salt and pepper. Simmer slowly for 4 hours.
- To make the dipping sauce, juice 2 of the lemons. Peel the other lemons with a paring knife, removing all peel and pith. Cut the lemon sections away from the membranes. Squeeze out the lemon remains to get all the juice. Set aside.
- Chop the garlic in a food processor. Add the lemon sections and juice and pulse to make a coarse puree. Scrape into a bowl and stir in the sugar, nuoc mam, chicken broth and chili-garlic sauce. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. (Let come to room temperature before serving.)
- Strain the broth through a fine- mesh sieve. Refrigerate overnight and skim off the fat. Place in a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Blanch the vegetables in the broth one type at a time, removing them with a slotted spoon or skimmer before adding the next group. Make sure the broth is simmering before adding the vegetables. Blanch the fennel until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes; zucchini until tender, about 3 minutes; carrots until tender, about 12 minutes; asparagus until crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 minutes; mushrooms until tender, about 3 minutes; Napa cabbage until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes, then untie; taro root until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes; scallions until tender, about 5 minutes; potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes; broccoli florets until tender, about 5 minutes. The vegetables can be blanched a few hours ahead of time.
- To serve, strain the broth again and divide between 2 electric cook pots, large fondue pots or large pots that can be placed over electric hot plates.
- Arrange the vegetables and the raw seafood on platters. Spoon the dipping sauce into 8 individual shallow bowls or plates. Guests should have long-handled forks, or individual dipping baskets, soup spoons, chopsticks and soup bowls.
- At the table, heat the broth to a simmer and let guests cook the seafood and reheat the vegetables in the broth, as well as ladle some broth into their bowls.
Dining and Cooking