Crispy Pot

Crispy Pot

　　Cuisine: Shandong cuisine

　　Flavor: Salty and savory

　　Price: 10–40 RMB

　　Ingredients: Large bone-in meat bones, kelp, pork belly, seafood (yellow croaker, mackerel, etc.), lotus root, Chinese cabbage, tofu (firm tofu), peanuts, etc. — about 1.5 jin (0.75 kg) of each. Also needed: one bottle each of soy sauce and vinegar, plus moderate amounts of salt, sugar, and cooking wine.

　　Preparation method:

　　1. Line the bottom (of a deep, steam-capable pot) with large bone-in meat bones — they should be deboned to serve as a base that holds up the other ingredients and prevents them from sticking or burning during cooking.

　　2. Arrange the stems of Chinese cabbage around the sides of the pot to also help prevent burning.

　　3. Based on how long each ingredient takes to cook, place the hardest-to-cook items at the bottom, then layer in the following order: kelp (rolled into coils about 2 cm thick), seafood (yellow croaker, mackerel, etc.), pork belly, lotus root, Chinese cabbage, tofu (firm tofu), peanuts. Lightly sprinkle salt and sugar between the layers, then cover the top with more Chinese cabbage stems.

　　4. After all ingredients are layered, pour the soy sauce, vinegar, and cooking wine over them.

　　5. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for four to five hours.