To cater to local preferences, Yann swapped the traditional beef oil in the hotpot base for lighter vegetable oil. This shift reflects a wider trend, with China's mala seasonings sweeping across Southeast Asia, carried along the Lancang-Mekong River into Singapore, Thailand and Myanmar. From restaurant tables to packaged snacks, an increasing number of young Southeast Asians are embracing a "no spice, no joy" way of eating. "Thai cuisine has always been known for its spiciness, but Chinese mala offers more complex, layered sensations. From customized hotpot bases to streamlined cross-border logistics and spice trade, China's mala flavor is weaving into Southeast Asian culinary traditions, creating new shared experiences that dance on the tongue.