Ingredients
350 g live eel (about 3/4 lb), 150 g pork leg meat (about 5 oz).
Seasonings
750 g (about 1 1/2 lbs) lard (150 g/5 oz will be absorbed), 40 g garlic cloves, 20 g soy sauce, 15 g each sugar and scallions, 10 g each ginger, Zhenjiang vinegar, and shredded garlic chives, 5 g each caramel coloring and sesame oil, 3 g salt, 1 g white pepper, and Shaoxing wine to taste.
Instructions
1. Slaughter the eel, remove the innards, cut off the head and tail, and wash clean. Cut into 5 cm (about 2-inch) segments, make 2 shallow crosswise cuts on each segment, then blanch in boiling water with salt and rice vinegar. Remove and rinse; slice the pork into rectangular pieces.
2. Place the wok over high heat and heat it up, then add lard. When the oil reaches 50% hot (about 300°F/150°C), add scallions and ginger, frying until fragrant. Next, add the sliced pork and stir-fry, then pour in Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. In a separate wok, heat oil over high heat until it reaches 50% hot (about 300°F/150°C), add garlic cloves and fry until fragrant, then remove from heat and let steep for 3 minutes; remove the garlic cloves, return the wok to high heat, briefly stir-fry scallions and ginger, add the eel segments and stir-fry, then splash in Shaoxing wine and fragrant vinegar, followed by soy sauce, salt, caramel coloring, and water; bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
4. Place the pork slices and eel segments together in a clay pot lined with a bamboo mat, pour in the broth, add sugar, cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and braise for 15 minutes, then return to high heat to reduce the sauce until thickened, drizzle with sesame oil, and sprinkle with white pepper and shredded garlic chives before serving. This dish has a rich reddish-brown color, tender and fragrant eel segments, a thick and glossy sauce, and a balanced savory-sweet flavor.