Ingredients
400 g (about 14 oz) pig brains, 25 g (about 1 oz) sliced bamboo shoots, 10 g (about 1/3 oz) dried shiitake mushrooms, 250 g (about 1 cup) broth.
Seasonings
50 g lard, 13 g each scallion, salt, and Shaoxing wine, 20 g soy sauce, 8 g ginger, 3 g each MSG and cornstarch slurry.
Instructions
1. First, soak the pig brains in warm water and carefully peel off the membrane. Then blanch the brains in boiling salted water until cooked, skimming off any foam. Cut into pieces and keep them in the cooking liquid. Slice the bamboo shoots horizontally. Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms, remove the stems, wash, and slice. Slice both the scallions and ginger.
2. Heat a generous amount of oil in a wok, then stir-fry the bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and scallions. Add the pig brains along with soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, and other seasonings, then pour in the broth.
3. Once the soup comes to a boil, skim off any foam, simmer until fully cooked, add MSG, thicken with a cornstarch slurry, then drizzle with a little oil and serve. This dish is tender and smooth with a delicate flavor, resembling tofu in texture.