Spicy Vegan Hot Pot

Dissolve the tamarind pulp. Add the tamarind pulp to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Use a spoon to slightly mash the tamarind and dilute it with the water. Allow the tamarind pulp to sit for about 10 minutes.
Strain it. Finally, using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the tamarind pulp and discard it. Save the tamarind juice (you will use it later to make the broth).

Sauté the lemongrass and ginger. Heat the oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced lemongrass and ginger and sauté for about 1 minute.
Sauté the pineapple and tomatoes. Add the diced pineapple and quartered tomatoes and sauté for another 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the mushrooms. Next, add the mushrooms (quartered or whole) and sauté for 2 more minutes.
Cover with water. Pour the water and tamarind juice into the pot.
Season. Season the broth with the sugar, salt, and mushroom seasoning if using. Add the slightly crushed lemongrass stalks as well.
Incorporate the tofu and corn. At this point, you can add tofu puffs and baby corn if using. This will allow them to cook and absorb the flavors of the broth.
Add the chili. Slice the Thai chili peppers into thin slices and add them to the broth.
Let simmer. Bring the broth to a boil, lower the heat, and let it simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.

While the broth is simmering, prepare the add-ins that will be arranged around the pot:
Wash and slice the vegetables. Ensure you thoroughly wash all of the vegetables before slicing them into bite-size pieces. Arrange all of the vegetables on a large plate or wooden board.
Cook the noodles. If going with rice or wheat noodles, you want to cook them first, then drain and rinse them under cold water. This way, people can simply get noodles and pour some hot broth over them to warm them.
Slice your vegan protein of choice. Cut your vegan protein into bite-size pieces and arrange them on a large plate.

Prepare the table: Place a portable gas burner or electric stainless steel hot pot in the center of the table. Transfer the broth to the pot and let it simmer over low heat.
Arrange everything: Place the sliced vegetables, noodles, and vegan meats on different plates and arrange them around the hot pot so each guest can pick what they want.
Let the feast begin! Each guest can now gather around the hot pot, pick their favorite veggies/vegan meat, and add them to the broth. After letting them simmer for a few minutes, they can transfer them to their bowl containing the noodles and cover with broth as needed.
The broth can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.