For the most basic of offerings, make a dipping sauce consisting of equal parts black vinegar, Garlic Puree, and sesame oil and double parts of soy sauce. You could take it one step further, though, and provide a whole spread of sauces.
Traditionally, northwestern Chinese diners will use a dipping sauce that is a mix of vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlicāplus some buttery fermented bean curd for a salty kick. I donāt actually adhere to that. I have friends who are American-born Chinese, or from Guangzhou, plus a few Japanese buddies who introduced me to shabu-shabu, so my dipping sauce of choice is a little more eclectic. Typically Iāll start off with some Chinese barbecue sauce (popular in the south), black vinegar, and a dash of Japanese shabu-shabu sesame sauce for a little sweetness. Iāll sprinkle in chopped cilantro and pour in our XFF Chili Oil (of course). For the final flourish, Iāll crack an egg, stirring the egg yolk into the sauce for texture and dumping the egg white into the boiling broth.