Steamed Eel with Bone Removed

Steamed Eel with Bone Removed

　　Steamed Eel with Bone Removed

　　Steamed Eel with Bone Removed, also known as "Boneless Steamed Eel," gets its name from the process of removing the spine of the eel (river eel) during cooking. It is characterized by being pure meat with no bones, retaining its original flavor, soft and smooth texture with rich aroma, delicious taste, and an elegant presentation.

　　Ingredients: one approximately 750g eel, 75g each of roast pork belly and garlic cloves, 50g each of soaked dried mushrooms and ham, 250g of second stock, 500g of superior stock, two pieces of pomelo peel, thin strips of dried tangerine peel, minced ginger, garlic paste, cornstarch, white pepper, dark soy sauce, seasoning to taste, and two cilantro leaves.

　　Preparation Method:

　　1. Clean and prepare the eel, blanch it in 60°C hot water to remove mucus, then cut it crosswise into 4cm-long segments. Cut the ham into thick strips the same length as the eel segments, dice the roast pork belly, and trim the ends of the garlic cloves.

　　2. Burn off the green skin of the pomelo peel, rinse to remove bitterness, then simmer in superior stock and lard. Adjust color with dark soy sauce if needed.

　　3. Heat oil in a wok, deep-fry the garlic cloves until golden, then remove. Sauté minced ginger and garlic paste until fragrant, add second stock, then put in the eel segments, roast pork belly, mushrooms, and dried tangerine peel strips. Splash in some wine, season, adjust color with dark soy sauce, parboil the eel segments until just cooked. Remove and use your thumb to remove the eel spines, then insert the ham strips into the hollows. Arrange the eel pieces neatly in a serving bowl, with garlic cloves around the edge and one large mushroom in the center. Steam until fully cooked.

　　4. Before serving, reheat the pomelo peel and place it on top of the eel segments. Invert onto a plate, pour the original sauce into the wok, thicken with a bit of cornstarch mixed with water, drizzle over the eel, sprinkle with white pepper, and garnish with cilantro leaves for color.