Stewed Eel with Cured Meat

Stewed Eel with Cured Meat

　　Eel, also known as yellow eel, is rich in protein, various vitamins, eel extract, and essential trace nutrients for human health such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. It has the effects of enriching blood and energy, strengthening the spleen, and nourishing the liver. After the Start of Summer solar term, especially during Lesser Heat, eels become plump and fat, with tender and delicious meat that is highly nutritious and offers strong tonic effects. Hence, there is a saying in Chinese folklore: “Eel in Lesser Heat is better than ginseng.” There are many ways to prepare eel, and stewed eel with cured meat is very common. It is regarded as a high-end dish by locals and has been recognized as a famous dish of Henan Province by the Henan Catering and Hotel Industry Association.

　　Preparation method:

　　1. Select 10–12 wild eels (gross weight about 1250g), 300g of cured pork belly from black pigs, and 200g of leek stems.

　　2. Prepare 5g of salt, plus appropriate amounts of peanut oil, ginger, scallions, light soy sauce, cooking wine, white pepper, and coriander.

　　3. Slaughter the eels, clean and trim them, then cut them into 4–5 cm long segments. Make four centipede-like slashes on the surface of each segment.

　　4. Cut the cured pork into large chunks, soak in warm water for 10 hours, then wash and drain. Place in an iron pot with an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, blanch for 3 minutes, then remove and drain. Cut into slices measuring 4×2.5×0.5 cm. Cut the leek stems into about 4 cm long segments, slice the ginger, and chop the scallions.

　　5. Heat an iron pot over high heat, first add an appropriate amount of peanut oil, then add the cured pork slices, ginger slices, and three-quarters of the scallion pieces. Stir-fry until fragrant, then add the eel segments and light soy sauce, and continue stir-frying until the eel turns yellow. Add salt, cooking wine, and white pepper, then pour in 1200g of mountain spring water and bring to a boil. Transfer to an earthenware pot, switch to low heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the leek segments, stir well, and it’s ready to serve.

　　6. Transfer the dish to an earthenware pot, arrange the main and auxiliary ingredients on the surface neatly, and sprinkle with the remaining scallion pieces and coriander.

　　Submitted by: Shangcheng County Specialty Dishes Research Association