Maocai
Maocai is a stew-like dish originating from the Chinese city of Chengdu, in Sichuan. It is composed of a variety of vegetables as well as meat and/or fish in a stock made of mala sauce. Although it is similar to styles of hot pot common in this region, its chief difference lies in the fact that the ingredients are already cooked when served, and hence no simmering is done at the table.
Common ingredients
Although there is great variation in the ingredients used in maocai, typically any of the following vegetables are included: lotus root, potato slices, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, winter melon, cauliflower, wood ear, enoki, oyster mushrooms, seaweed, bamboo shoots, tofu, yuba, beansprouts, as well as rice vermicelli and cellophane noodles made of sweet potato starch.The meats most frequently encountered are beef, pork and lamb, although other meats and more specific cuts may be used too.