Ingredients
300 g water-soaked sea cucumber, 300 g fresh broth, 50 g fatty pork, 100 g soybean sprouts, and scallion or garlic sprouts to taste.
Seasonings
65 g lard, 20 g Shaoxing cooking wine, 20 g Sichuan Pixian broad bean paste, 10 g red soy sauce, 10 g sesame oil, 10 g cornstarch, 0.5 g MSG, and toasted sesame salt to taste.
Instructions
1. Slice the sea cucumbers into wedge-shaped pieces (thicker on top, thinner on bottom), blanch in boiling water for two minutes, then remove and drain; finely mince the pork; cut the garlic sprouts into large coarse pieces; trim the root ends off the soybean sprouts; finely chop the Pixian broad bean paste.
2. Place a wok over heat, add lard and heat to 40% hot, then add the pork, cooking wine, and salt, stir-fry until well combined, then transfer to a plate. Clean the wok, add lard again and heat to 60% hot, then add the broad bean paste and stir-fry until fragrant and the oil turns red, pour in the stock and bring to a boil, remove the broad bean paste residue, then add the sea cucumbers, pork, dark soy sauce, and cooking wine, stir to combine, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the oil surfaces, then thicken with a light cornstarch slurry, add the garlic sprouts, MSG, and sesame oil, and stir to combine.
3. In a separate pan, heat lard and stir-fry the soybean sprouts until cooked, then spread them on a serving plate as a base. Pour the sea cucumber and its sauce over the sprouts and serve. This dish has a rich brown sauce, a savory flavor with a hint of spice, and a soft, tender filling with a slight crispness.