Ingredients
750 g (about 1.65 lbs) live eel
Seasonings
750 g (about 1 1/2 lbs) soybean oil (100 g or about 1/2 cup will be absorbed), 2 g salt, 5 g vinegar, 25 g minced scallions, 15 g each minced ginger, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce, 3 g sugar, 10 g sesame oil.
Instructions
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt, rice vinegar, scallions, and ginger, then add the live eels, quickly cover, and cook until the eels' mouths open; remove and rinse in clean water. Place the eels belly-side up on a cutting board, hold the head with your left hand, and with a bamboo strip in your right hand, insert it at the jaw and cut along the backbone all the way to the tail, then cut along both sides of the backbone to remove the whole eel fillet; wash and drain.
2. Heat a wok over high heat, add soybean oil and heat to 70% hot (about 350°F/175°C), then fry the eel strips for 3 minutes and remove. When the oil temperature rises to 80% hot (about 400°F/200°C), return the eel to the wok and fry for another 4 minutes until crispy and crunchy, then drain.
3. In a separate pan, heat some oil, add minced scallion and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, then add Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and sugar, bring to a boil to create a sauce, add the crispy fried eel pieces and toss to coat, drizzle with sesame oil, transfer to a serving plate, and top with shredded ginger. This dish features eel that is light, crispy, and fragrant, with a dark brown color and a sweet-savory sauce.