Donkey Meat Stewed in a Clay Pot

Donkey Meat Stewed in a Clay Pot

　　A myth is told in Lianyungang. One day, Zhang Guolao, one of the Eight Immortals, was passing through a mountain village at the foot of Huaguo Mountain. He saw the bright spring sunshine, the gentle warmth, the hills covered in blooming peach and apricot blossoms, and crystal-clear mountain springs flowing through. Unable to resist the beauty, he jumped off the back of his donkey, held the reins in his hand, and strolled along a path between the wheat fields, admiring this earthly paradise. Suddenly, from behind, he heard a commotion as a group of villagers surrounded him, falsely accusing his donkey of eating the wheat seedlings in the fields. Despite Zhang Guolao’s repeated explanations, the villagers wouldn’t believe him. Left with no choice, he took out his knife to slaughter the donkey and cut it open to prove its innocence. The villagers were stunned to find not a single green sprout in the donkey’s stomach. They looked at each other, wide-eyed and speechless. Once the truth was revealed, Zhang Guolao retrieved the donkey hide, clapped his hands, and the hide turned back into a living donkey. The villagers were astonished and fell to their knees, begging the immortal for forgiveness. Their actions blocked the immortal’s path, and ever since, the small mountain village has been called "Blocking the Donkey Village." Over time, the name changed to today’s "Danglu Village" (literally “When Path Village”). At that moment, seeing his path blocked, Zhang Guolao turned his donkey around and rode backward, whipping it to gallop away while shouting, “Donkey meat is delicious!” Heaven has dragon meat, but the earth has donkey meat.”

Donkey meat stewed in a clay pot is meticulously prepared and has unique characteristics. Moreover, donkey meat is highly nutritious, containing protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and more, making it an excellent ingredient for cooking.

Method for preparing Donkey Meat Stewed in a Clay Pot:

Ingredients: 1250g raw donkey breast meat, 100g fresh winter bamboo shoots, 10g scallions, 8g ginger, 1g star anise, 0.5g Sichuan peppercorn, 100g ginkgo nuts, 0.5g ground pepper, 5g salt, 10g sugar, 25g Shaoxing wine, 50g soy sauce, 1g MSG, 1000g chicken broth, 3g sesame oil, 100g peanut oil.

Preparation Method:

1. Rinse the raw donkey breast meat with clean water, cut it into one-inch cubes, prick the meat with an iron skewer to create holes, then boil it in hot water until fully cooked. Remove it and soak it in cold water for one hour to draw out all the blood.

2. Slice the winter bamboo shoots into autumn leaf shapes; wash the Sichuan peppercorn and star anise, then wrap them in cloth; cook the ginkgo nuts in a pot, peel and remove the cores, and slice the scallions.

3. Heat a clay pot over a flame, add the peanut oil and heat until hot. Add the scallions and ginger, then put in the donkey meat cubes along with all the seasonings, ingredients, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about two hours until the meat is tender and the soup turns a brownish-yellow color. Remove the cloth bundle, sprinkle with ground pepper, and serve directly from the pot.