This is a fun social dish! Similar to fondue, ingredients are cooked in simmering stock and enjoyed with dipping sauces, and the remainder is turned into a soup.

10 cups rich seafood or chicken stock*
1 TBS ginger, minced
1 TBS garlic, minced
6 green onions, chopped finely
4 ounces dried bean noodles
1/2 pound leafy greens, such as spinach, bok choy, or Napa
8 sea scallops, sliced
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 package tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
12 clams or mussels, cleaned and soaked in salt water
8 shucked oysters
Dipping Sauces: soy sauce, hot pepper oil, hoisin sauce, sweet and sour sauce, Chinese mustard

Place the stock, ginger, garlic and green onions in a large pot; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Soak the noodles in warm water until softened; drain and cut into smaller pieces. Cut the greens into bite-size pieces. Cut the scallops into thin slices. Clean the shrimp. Scrub the mussels or clams and soak in cold water with plenty of Kosher or sea salt (to purge sand). Cut the tofu into cubes.

Arrange the noodles, seafood, vegetables and tofu on a large platter. Set a Mongolian hot pot or electric wok filled with stock in the center of a table and adjust heat to a gentle simmer. The guests use chopsticks or Chinese wire strainers to cook the seafood, vegetables and tofu slices in the boiling water and then dip into the sauce of their choice.

When all of the seafood is gone, add the remaining greens and noodles to the pot, simmering to make a soup to share.

*Note: the success of this dish depends on starting with a full-flavored stock or broth.

** Variations: this can be made with any stock and any quick cooking meats or veggies you wish -- it's also great with wontons and Chinese meatballs.