CHINESE have a lot of ways to diversify their dining experience. Take the hot pot for example --- the choice of pots is diverse.

There are iron, bronze and earthenware pots and now there is a new member of the family, the paper hot pot.

Yes, that means the container sitting on the fire is made of paper.

Actually the paper hot pot is not a Chinese creation. It was brought from Japan and is now gaining popularity on the Chinese mainland.

The pot is made of a piece of square-shaped paper, three or four times thicker than normal sheets. The paper is rough in texture and hard to tear apart.

Shaped in like a pot and put in a net-like container, the paper hot pot is ready to be placed directly on the heater.

Like its metal or clay counterparts, the paper pot serves as a container and, if you don't pierce the pot with your chopsticks, you can enjoy a paper hot pot meal for at least three hours.

The only difference with a paper pot is that due to its small size, it's more suitable for one person.

Different pots bring different tastes, and the paper hot pot is said to be better for lighter foods than its heavier counterparts. This is because the paper absorbs oil, which makes paper a good choice for those who are watching their fat intake.

Paper hot pot cooking has already appeared in Sichuan and Guangzhou and it's sure to be in Shenzhen before too long.

Editor: Wings