Step into Chongqing, and the aroma of numbing spice drifts through every street and alley. As autumn turns cool, it's the perfect time to enjoy a steaming hotpot to chase away the chill and warm you up.

Chongqing hotpot

The nine-grid beef tallow hotpot is a Chongqing specialty—a single large pot divided into nine sections, each with its own rules for what to cook. The center section is the hottest, making it ideal for quickly cooking meats; the four sections along the sides are moderately hot, making them suited to cooking vegetables; and the four corner sections are the coolest, so they're mainly used for simmering and braising.

Chongqing spicy hotpot

For Chongqing hotpot, beef tripe is an indispensable delicacy. Cooking tripe follows the rule of "seven up, eight down"—dipping it in and out of the boiling broth seven or eight times over about 15 seconds. The cooked tripe curls slightly at the edges, making it tender, crisp and refreshing. Beyond tripe, beef aorta, beef liver and duck blood are also standard accompaniments to Chongqing hotpot.

Boiling tripe

Though Chongqing hotpot is famous for its heat, spice is not its only defining feature. The rich, heavy, oil-laden base and savory broth together form the soul of Chongqing hotpot. The rising steam carries an irresistible blend of numbing spice and savory aromas, making it a distinctive symbol of Chongqing's food culture.

Traditional beef tallow hotpot base