This Multi-Use Skillet Is Perfect for Hot Pot on Lunar New Year—and It's on Sale
Amazon
I have so many fond memories of celebrating Lunar New Year back home in Taiwan, including the anticipation of my favorite meal on New Year's Eve. Captured best by the traditional concept of "wei lu" that literally translates to "a gathering by the stove," it was the only time all year that we'd cook and eat with our distant relatives.
My grandma would pull out all the stops at the opportunity to see her grandchildren together in one place. She'd prepare dishes like fried fish, salted chicken, pickled mustard greens, grilled sausages, ginger sautéed shrimp, brown sugar nian gao, shredded turnip cake, and cured Taiwanese bottarga days ahead of the celebration—but those weren't even the star of the show. That would be the hot pot at the center of the round dining table, filled to the brim with ingredients like pork belly, sour pickled napa cabbage, and tofu.
Although I won't be able to celebrate Lunar New Year back home this year, at least I can still replicate a mini version of her fantastic hot pot with a convenient electric cooker like Zojirushi's Gourmet d'Expert Electric Skillet. Reviewers have called it ″perfect″ for Lunar New Year's Eve dinner, and those who order it from Amazon now can even get it delivered on time for this upcoming Monday, New Year's Eve.
Courtesy of Amazon
To buy: Zojirushi EP-PBC10 Gourmet d'Expert Electric Skillet, $101 (originally $130) at amazon.com
Made by Zojirushi, the editor-loved appliance brand best known for its impeccable rice cookers, the electric skillet not only works for hot pot but also as a multi-use cooker that can grill, saute, or sear vegetables and meats. The knob on the bottom of the unit allows you to adjust the level of heat from 176 to 430 degrees Fahrenheit, and the ceramic-coated cooking surface can be directly placed on stovetops. The side handles of the pan stay cool so you won't have trouble moving it from stove to table, and its nonstick coating makes washing it after dinner such a breeze.
It's a reviewer's go-to for nightly meals. "This has become my favorite hot pot to fry pan, with heat controls ranging from sear to simmer and fast," they said, adding that the electric skillet offers "even heating for hot pot, shabu shabu, and more in the kitchen and at the table. [It's] a great grill pan for eggs and sausage, basically whenever I want to [use] a single pan to make dinner, weekend breakfast, or lunch."
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Another called it perfect for families with kids. "We're a family of four with two teenagers, and we all loved sitting around the simmering pot and choosing our favorites out of the pot," the reviewer wrote. "We added some udon noodles to the pot at the end and they were perfect too. We'll be using this a lot. It couldn't be easier to use and clean. Just remember to use wooden serving spoons in the pot so you don't scratch the surface."
I might not be able to surround myself with the full Lunar New Year celebrations of firecrackers, booming traditional music, and red and gold decorations filling the streets, but at least I can treat myself to some warm hot pot that reminds me of home. If, like me, you're looking for a hot pot cooker that will do the job (and some), grab Zojirushi's multi-use electric skillet at Amazon now—while it's on sale—for delivery by Lunar New Year.
