Ingredients
1000 g (about 2.2 lbs) golden turtle, 150 g (about 5 oz) pork belly, 50 g (about 1.8 oz) each of winter bamboo shoots and cilantro, 25 g (about 1 oz) rehydrated shiitake mushrooms.
Seasonings
Star anise, 1 g each of MSG, sugar, and salt, 5 g dried red chili peppers, 15 g each of scallions and ginger, 25 g each of soy sauce and Shaoxing wine, 20 g sesame oil, 0.5 g white pepper, 2 g cassia cinnamon, and 50 g lard.
Instructions
1. Blanch the turtle meat in boiling water, remove the thin membrane, chop off the claw tips, rinse and drain, then cut into 3 cm long by 2 cm wide pieces; slice the pork belly into 3 cm long, 1 cm wide, and 0.2 cm thick pieces; cut the winter bamboo shoots into comb-shaped slices; remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms, rinse, and halve any large ones; tie the scallions into knots; peel and crush the ginger; wash the cilantro.
2. Place a wok over high heat and add lard, then stir-fry scallions and ginger until fragrant. Add the turtle meat and pork belly, stir-frying briefly. Splash in Shaoxing wine and soy sauce, then add cinnamon stick, star anise, dried red chilies, salt, sugar, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then transfer everything to a clay pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour until the turtle meat is tender and soft. Add bamboo shoot slices, shiitake mushrooms, and MSG, then sprinkle with white pepper and drizzle with sesame oil. Pour into a soup bowl and serve with a small dish of fresh cilantro on the side. This dish is savory, aromatic, and slightly spicy, with a rich, thick sauce and deep red color. It is hearty, lingering in flavor, and considered a nourishing delicacy.