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They are going potty at Soie restaurant at the Sheraton Bahrain Hotel by serving up some tasty sensations in a traditional manner which dates back centuries.
Mouthwatering Mongolian Hot Pot specialities are the order of the month ... served up in a large communal cooking and serving fondue set, brimming with broth big enough to satisfy the heartiest of appetites.
The pot is bought to your table for both its appeal and its serving functionality. Thinly-sliced, bite-size pieces of chicken, beef, vegetables and firm bean curd can be cooked, or prepared by the chef and kept hot in the pot, accompanied with noodles and serviced with a choice of dips.
Historians say the origins of the Mongolian stove hot pot date back to the descendants of the great Kublain Khan, a superb horsemen who, in ancient times, controlled an empire stretching from Peking to Vienna.
At night, the nomadic tribes gathered around the cooking fires and prepared their simple meal. Chunks of meat were speared and cooked in a stew, bubbling in a primitive cauldron ... or even in their helmets!
The gourmets of Peking and Japan transformed the simple Mongolian Pot into the festive dish we know today. Even so, it still appeals to our primitive love of fire, food and friendship.
The dish is being delivered in Bahrain by Head Chef Lee Bak Lee, 45, who joined Soie in 2006. He is a veteran in Chinese cuisine, experienced in various provincial dishes and has worked in popular restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia since 1980.
Being of Chinese origin, he has a passion for the cuisine and says he endeavours to maintain authenticity and ensure every dish that comes from his kitchen 'suits the customer's palate, is enjoyable and cherished'.
Chef Lee explained: "The Mongolian Hot Pot consists of a simmering metal pot of stock at the centre of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked right at the table.
"Typical hot pot dishes include thinly-sliced meat, seafood, leafy vegetables, mushrooms and tofu, once cooked, the food is usually eaten with a dipping selection of sauces.
"Meat or vegetables are loaded individually into broth by chopsticks, and cooking time can take from one minute to 15, depending on the type of food. Meat should be cooked for 20 seconds (at the very least) and can be eaten bland to very spicy, depending on your tastes.
"Some like to place items into the hot pot at a relaxed, leisurely pace, enjoying the cooking process, while others prefer to throw everything in at once and wait for the hotpot to return to a boil.
"Occasionally, due to the evaporation proccess, the boiled water needs to be refilled. Usually the stew is strong and zesty enough to not add more condiments to spice it up."
