Ingredients
200 g fresh cilantro, 1500 g (about 3.3 lbs) fresh dog meat, 50 g winter bamboo shoots.
Seasonings
100 g cooked lard, 100 g kimchi-style pickled vegetables, 5 dried red chilies, 15 g small red chili peppers, 5 g salt, 50 g garlic chives, 50 g Shaoxing wine, 25 g soy sauce, 25 g wet cornstarch slurry, 1.5 g MSG, 1 g white pepper, 10 g cinnamon bark, 15 g sesame oil, 15 g scallion, 15 g ginger, 15 g vinegar.
Instructions
1. Remove the bones from the dog meat, soak it in warm water, scrape and wash it clean, then blanch it in a pot of cold water and drain. Rinse with fresh water twice, then place in a clay pot with smashed scallions, ginger, cinnamon stick, dried red chilies, 25 g (about 2 tablespoons) of Shaoxing wine, and enough water to cover. Cook until about half done, then cut into strips 5 cm long and 2 cm wide (about 2 inches by 3/4 inch). Finely chop the pickled cabbage, winter bamboo shoots, and small red chilies; mince the garlic chives; wash the cilantro.
2. Place a wok over high heat, add 50 g (about 1/4 cup) of cooking oil, and heat until it reaches 80% hot. Add the dog meat and stir-fry until fragrant. Splash in Shaoxing wine, then add soy sauce, salt, and the reserved broth. Bring to a boil, then transfer everything to a clay pot. Simmer over low heat until the meat is tender and falls apart, and the sauce has reduced. Transfer to a plate and serve.
3. Heat lard in a wok over high heat until it reaches about 80% hot, then add winter bamboo shoots, pickled vegetables, and dried red chili peppers, stir-frying briefly. Pour in the reserved dog meat broth and bring to a boil. Season with MSG and add garlic chives. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry, drizzle with sesame oil, and splash with vinegar. Pour this sauce over the cooked dog meat and garnish with fresh cilantro around the edges. This dish is richly aromatic, with tender, fall-apart meat and a thick, glossy sauce that is spicy with a tangy sour kick.