Our cookbook of the week is
Everybody Scorching Pot
by Natasha Pickowicz.
Leap to the recipes:
not-just-scallion
pancakes
, chili crisp
snack combine
, and charred
tomato and lemongrass broth
.
February will be an austere month. For
Natasha Pickowicz
, scorching pot is the antidote. “In a number of Asian cultures, we’re about to rejoice the
Lunar New Yr
, and that’s really the largest occasion second of the yr. That’s once you’re reconnecting with household and buddies. That’s once you’re gifting for 2 weeks, and there’s revelry, events, scorching pot.”
Pickowicz wrote her second cookbook, Everybody Scorching Pot (Artisan, 2026), for celebratory instances like these and extra informal ones as properly. “I needed the ebook to attraction to everyone, as a result of in the event you have been eager to be a bit frugal, have extra intimate, low-key gatherings, have a nourishing meal that feels low stakes, scorching pot is that, too.”
Identified for her work as a pastry chef, Pickowicz’s followup to
Extra Than Cake
(2023) is rooted in household. She embraced the chance to indicate one other facet of herself as a cookbook author, and her household comes by way of in additional than the custom. Pickowicz’s mom, painter Li Huai, illustrated the ebook and her father, historian Paul Pickowicz, wrote an essay.
Scorching pot has developed into a private expression for Pickowicz. Her mom is from Beijing, which has its personal northern model of scorching pot. Via her analysis for the ebook, Pickowicz was struck by the variation, whether or not scorching pot from different areas of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam or Thailand.
Everybody Scorching Pot opens with the necessities, together with tools and instruments, what to purchase and prep — “My rule of thumb is, in the event you can’t match the entire thing in your mouth in a single chew, it’s most likely too huge to go within the scorching pot” — earlier than shifting into greater than 50 recipes for all features of the feast, together with broths, breads, snacks and desserts.
Pickowicz says it was essential for her to convey a chef’s perspective to the ebook — not a inflexible algorithm. She goals to empower readers to do as she does: pull collectively elements from totally different traditions and infuse scorching pot along with her personal distinctive flavour and ingredient pairings.
“I’m extra inquisitive about scorching pot as a framework and as a method of having fun with life,” says Pickowicz. “It responds to me, and I needed to really feel like I might give folks permission to do this for themselves as properly.”
Scorching pot is an interactive meal, she highlights — most of which takes place on the desk, within the second. It may be any mixture of store-bought or home made objects you want, and Pickowicz hopes readers will accent their meals with dishes from the ebook, whether or not it’s her fragrant
charred tomato and lemongrass broth
or crunchy,
chili crisp snack combine
. “This meal can meet you within the center.”
Now based mostly in New York Metropolis, Pickowicz started her culinary profession in Montreal, the place she freelanced at
The Gazette
, baked at
Dépanneur Le Decide Up
and went on to work as a pastry prepare dinner at
Lawrence
. Pickowicz didn’t attend culinary college, nevertheless it was there that she discovered the basics of “working neat, staying organized and being respectful of others.” She describes the expertise as life-changing.
“I fell in love with this concept of working as a crew in the direction of a united aim, and the satisfaction everybody took in making this stunning meals, and the satisfaction you’d really feel when a visitor beloved one thing that you simply made. And in addition that starvation round studying and getting good at one thing by way of repetition, and this concept of turning into constant round doing one thing,” says Pickowicz, including that she was struck by the town’s love of meals and gathering. “I had by no means skilled something prefer it earlier than, and I haven’t since, and I feel it was simply the absolute best place for me to have that first publicity and be surrounded by people who find themselves so keen about meals and hospitality.”
When writing the proposal for Everybody Scorching Pot, Pickowicz got here throughout images of a celebration she threw in her Little Italy condominium with new buddies — all scorching pot novices — gathered round a stockpot. As a lot as Pickowicz appreciates connecting with others who grew up with it, her favorite half is sharing the ritual with those that haven’t skilled it earlier than.
“Seeing the shock, the exhilaration, the sense of discovery — I feel that’s what a number of cooks and cookbook authors chase after, is this sense of sharing, and this sense of releasing data and handing it over to different folks,” says Pickowicz. She believes that scorching pot is poised to blow up in recognition and is comfortable to play a component in serving to readers discover pleasure in it. “It’s such a magical method of attending to know different folks and coming collectively.”
NOT-JUST-SCALLION PANCAKES
Makes:
4 8-inch (20-cm) pancakes
1 cup (240 mL) filtered water
<br />
1 cup (about 30 g) packed recent herbs (like scallions, basil, parsley, mint, tarragon, cilantro, sorrel or dill)
<br />
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
<br />
1 tsp kosher salt
<br />
About 1/4 cup (60 mL) vegetable oil, for cooking and shaping
<br />
1/4 cup (60 mL) sesame oil
<br />
Flaky sea salt, to complete
Step 1
Pour the water right into a small pot and warmth till boiling.
Step 2
In the meantime, finely chop the recent herbs into confetti; measured tightly in a cup, the herbs ought to collapse to yield about 1/3 cup.
Step 3
Mix the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly stream within the scorching water, stirring with chopsticks till a free dough types. As soon as the dough is cool sufficient to deal with, convey this shaggy combination collectively by hand, kneading for a minute or two.
Step 4
Form the dough right into a tough ball; it is going to be sticky. Cowl and let relaxation within the fridge to relax for at the very least half-hour and as much as 8 hours.
Step 5
Utilizing a giant knife or bench scraper, divide the dough into quarters, every weighing about 4 1/2 ounces (125 g). Type a hand right into a claw, such as you’re holding an invisible baseball, then roll the dough items into easy balls.
Step 6
Evenly grease a rolling pin and your work floor with vegetable oil. Roll a chunk of dough right into a circle about 10 inches (25 cm) huge; the dough will likely be very skinny and sheer. Brush the dough circle with a skinny coating of sesame oil (about 1 teaspoon), and high with a heaping tablespoon of the chopped herbs.
Step 7
Beginning with the underside of the circle, roll up the dough, like a scroll or a jelly roll. Twist the scroll into a good spiral, like a snail’s shell, because it lies flat in your work floor.
Step 8
Repeat with the remaining dough. Drape a dishcloth over all of the dough spirals and let relaxation for half-hour.
Step 9
Line a big baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll every dough spiral right into a circle about 8 inches (20 cm) huge, including somewhat vegetable oil to the rolling pin if the dough feels overly sticky or tears. Stack the circles on the lined baking sheet as you go, separating each with a small sq. of parchment. The pancakes shouldn’t really feel overly sticky or moist, nevertheless it’s okay if the herbs barely tear the dough whilst you’re rolling it out. (Observe: Don’t roll the pancakes too thinly, which might compress their flaky layers and lead to extra of a cracker.)
Step 10
At this level, you possibly can partially freeze the pancakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then stack them in an hermetic container within the freezer for as much as 3 weeks.
Step 11
If you’re able to prepare dinner the pancakes, warmth 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a big skillet over medium warmth. Set a baking sheet lined with a dry towel close by as a spot for the pancakes to land and drain as soon as faraway from the oil.
Step 12
Fry the pancakes separately, 4 to five minutes for every pancake, flipping midway by way of and replenishing the oil after every spherical. Switch to the towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Step 13
Utilizing a pointy cleaver or chef’s knife, lower every pancake in half, then lower every half into 1-inch (2.5 cm) huge strips. Serve instantly.
HOT (POT) TIP:
Don’t need to switch savoury smells like sesame oil or chopped alliums to your rolling pin? Roll every pancake between two squares of parchment about 12 inches (30 cm) huge.
CHILI CRISP SNACK MIX
Makes:
8 cups (600 g); serves 6 to eight
2 cups (70 g) woven rice cereal, like Chex
<br />
2 cups (55 g) shrimp chips (search for the Calbee model)
<br />
2 cups (100 g) fried wonton strips
<br />
1 cup (55 g) small cheese crackers, like Cheez-Its
<br />
1 cup (130 g) roasted, unsalted peanuts
<br />
4 tbsp (1/2 stick/55 g) unsalted butter
<br />
1/4 cup (57 g) chili crisp
<br />
2 tbsp candy chili sauce
<br />
2 tbsp black vinegar
<br />
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
<br />
3 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
<br />
2 tbsp untoasted white or black sesame seeds
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 275F (135C). Line a half baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
Mix the rice cereal, shrimp chips, wonton strips, cheese crackers and peanuts in a big bowl.
Step 3
Soften the butter in a small pot over low warmth. Add the chili crisp, candy chili sauce, black vinegar and soy sauce and whisk till easy and emulsified. Add the wakame and sesame seeds and stir till the seaweed is rehydrated and comfortable, 2 to three minutes.
Step 4
Pour this combination over the dry snacks and toss properly to mix. Unfold into one layer on the lined baking sheet and switch to the oven.
Step 5
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring often, to permit the combination to dry out and gently toast till it’s darkened in locations and there aren’t any damp spots; the combination will proceed to crisp up because it cools. Don’t overbake! Take away from the oven and let cool fully.
Step 6
Retailer the snack combine in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 1 month.
CHARRED TOMATO AND LEMONGRASS BROTH
Makes:
2 quarts (1.9 L)
1 white onion, halved
<br />
One 14.5-oz (410 g) can fire-roasted tomatoes
<br />
2 qt (1.9 L) filtered water
<br />
One 2-inch (5 cm) piece recent ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick (0.6 cm) rounds
<br />
4 6-inch (15-cm) lemongrass stalks, halved lengthwise
<br />
2 celery stalks
<br />
2 tbsp olive oil
<br />
2 tbsp tomato paste
<br />
6 Thai chilies or 1 tsp floor gochugaru chili flakes, plus extra for garnish (see Tip)
<br />
2 tsp kosher salt
<br />
Juice of 1 lime
<br />
1 beefsteak or heirloom tomato, for garnish
Step 1
Warmth a big pot over medium warmth for 3 to 4 minutes. Place the onion halves, lower facet down, within the pot and let sizzle, untouched, till they’re blackened, 5 minutes.
Step 2
Whereas the onion halves are charring, puree the canned tomatoes with an immersion or tabletop blender till easy.
Step 3
Add the tomato puree and water to the pot, together with the sliced ginger, lemongrass, celery, olive oil, tomato paste, Thai chilies, and salt. Carry to a boil over excessive warmth, then scale back the warmth to very low, cowl, and let barely simmer, till barely decreased and the onion and celery are translucent and tremendous comfortable, 2 to three hours.
Step 4
Take away the pot from the warmth and pressure the broth by way of a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Stir within the lime juice.
Step 5
Use the broth instantly or retailer in an hermetic container. It’ll preserve for 1 week within the fridge or for as much as 2 months within the freezer.
Step 6
To arrange for warm pot, heat the broth, if wanted, after which switch to the recent pot topper. Slice the tomato into rounds about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) thick. Drop the slices into the broth, like lily pads, and add just a few recent Thai chilies.
Variations
- If you happen to aren’t capable of finding canned fire-roasted tomatoes, roast recent ones your self: Slice 6 ripe tomatoes in half lengthwise and broil till their edges are blackened and blistered, 3 to 4 minutes.
- For extra-rich creaminess, whisk one 8-ounce (226 g) can of full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk into the nice and cozy broth, together with the lime juice, then switch to your scorching pot topper.
- Lacto-fermented condiments are a robust “secret” ingredient for a lot of Asian soups, including tangy complexity and depth. For an additional punchy, bitter observe, add 1/4 cup of whey, chopped sauerkraut or kimchi, a teaspoon of scorching sauce or a tablespoon of darkish miso paste to the broth.
HOT (POT) TIP:
Thai chili, a small, spicy pepper that turns from inexperienced to crimson because it ripens, will be discovered in lots of Asian grocery shops. Maintain a surplus within the fridge for perking up broth, slicing thinly into easy dipping sauces, or jazzing up pickle brines.
Recipes and pictures excerpted from
Everybody Scorching Pot
by Natasha Pickowicz (Artisan Books). Copyright ©2026. Images by Alex Lau and illustrations by Li Huai.
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