Starting from 7th January, Hotel Annapurna's Arniko Chinese Room is serving the pungent Himalayan Hot Pot for a month.
With a vibrant yet peaceful atmosphere, as one steps into Arniko Chinese Room, you will feel an incredible sensation of composure. A subdued lighting resembling peacefulness is balanced by the brilliant decorations and aesthetic wall paintings which makes you feel like you've magically entered the most exquisite place in China. The appealing interior uplifts your expectations for their Chinese cuisine, which their dishes definitely surpass.
The highly skilled chefs of Arniko have gotten another chance to show off their artistry through the season's special: Himalayan Hot Pot, or 'Gyakok' as known in Tibet. A heavenly combination of nutritious ingredients and a variety of spices, this dish is the perfect armor to protect yourself from the chilly weather.
The chefs preparing the Himalayan Hot Pot resembles painters working on their finest masterpiece. Chefs start to prepare this dish by heating up the 'Gyakok Pot'. Powered by flaming up charcoal, this unique apparatus is a traditional appliance used only to make this Tibetan hot pot. As it is made from brass, it helps to enhance the nutrition and ease digestion. Chefs meanwhile blench the thinly sliced vegetables and meat to make them tender and softly cooked. Then the ingredients are skillfully arranged around the heated Gyakok Pot, and after adding the seasoned broth, the pot is covered for the hot pot to be completed.
Before the main dish, you are served warm steam buns which you can enjoy as a starter while having to wait for the freshly made hot pot. Within 12-15 minutes, you are gracefully presented an enclosed Gyakok Pot. When the lid is removed, your nose gets drawn into a torrent of different aromas. As the steam clears, your eyes are embraced with a beautiful palette which defines the chefs' years of experience and love for their ingredients. This mouthwatering display makes you unable to resist the dish. The dish is self-served into bowls and the flavor is much enhanced with the complimentary rice topped over the broth. The stock is continuously sizzled by the scorching charcoal to maintain the warmth of the broth for additional servings.
With the very first bite, your taste buds become flooded with enticing flavors. The warm broth is perfectly accompanied by the different spices while the rice brings the entire dish into a flavorsome equilibrium.
The menu includes vegetarian, chicken, seafood, and mixed gyakok and is prepared using fresh ingredients. The Himalayan Hot Pot is being served only for one month starting from the 7th of January 2018. As it is a great way to stay warm and enjoy some delicious Chinese dish with your friends or family, trying the Himalayan Hot Pot at Arniko this winter is highly recommended.
Pranit Shrestha is a content writer at nepaltraveller.com. Pranit is a fitness aficionado, and he likes spending his free time in peaceful meditation.