Daojiao River Worms

Daojiao River Worms

　　　Daojiao’s river worms are famed for their plump size and rich protein content. The traditional Daojiao method involves rinsing the worms in clean water, then placing them in a pottery bowl (known as a "patou"). Add an appropriate amount of minced garlic, fine salt, cooking oil, and eggs (though most people skip the eggs nowadays), then mash everything together with chopsticks until the worms form a paste. Steam the mixture until cooked, then roast it over a low flame, adding cooked oil. When it turns lightly golden and emits a rich aroma, sprinkle with pepper and it’s ready to serve. For stir-fried river worms, rinse them and let them swim in a pot of boiling water. Once the water heats up, lift out the whole worms, then stir-fry them with shredded pork, char siu (barbecued pork), shredded mushrooms, diced bell peppers, and oil. Season to taste, and before serving, add pepper, sesame oil, and fried sesame seeds. For a braised version, adding some shredded ginger, garlic cloves, and dried taro enhances the flavor even more.