CHONGQING, China -- Spicy hot pot dishes that come in self-heating plastic bowls and are ready to eat 15 minutes after being doused with water aren't just big in China, they are showing how the country's dining culture has evolved.
The products debuted in 2015, and two years later videos of them went viral on Chinese social networks. As the market quickly expanded, leading hot pot brands began introducing their own instant offerings. The no-fuss meals are now especially popular among young Chinese too busy to cook -- despite being more expensive and less "instant" than the microwaveable bento meals sold at convenience stores throughout Asia.
