Ingredients
750 g turtle (about 1.6 lbs), 50 g tender chicken thigh meat, 25 g each pork shank meat and yellow bean paste, 100 g clear broth.
Seasonings
100 g (about 3.5 oz) lard, 15 g (about 1/2 oz) scallion, 10 g (about 1/3 oz) ginger slices, 10 g (about 1/3 oz) soy sauce, 5 g (about 1 tsp) Sichuan peppercorns, 5 g (about 1 tsp) star anise, 13 g (about 1 tbsp) Shaoxing wine.
Instructions
1. Kill the live turtle, clean it, blanch in boiling water, scrape off the black skin, cut off the claw tips, wash clean, then boil briefly in fresh boiling water until the shell can be lifted, remove and place in a bowl of cold water, tear off the shell and skirt together, discard the intestines but keep the liver and gallbladder, then separate the head, neck, and four limbs; cut the chicken leg meat and pork tendon into 2.5 cm (about 1-inch) cubes, place everything in a bowl; cut the scallion whites into sections and slice the ginger, set aside.
2. Add lard to a wok and heat over medium heat until it reaches 50% hot (about 300°F/150°C). Add scallions and ginger, frying until golden, then add yellow bean paste and fry until fragrant. Add Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, chicken, and pork, and stir-fry briefly. Pour in soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and clear broth. Once boiling, cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam. Transfer everything to a clay pot, then add the softshell turtle along with its head, neck, and four limbs, arranging them into a whole shape.
3. Add the turtle liver and gallbladder, cover the clay pot, and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender and falls apart. Remove the scallion, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and star anise before serving. This dish features a rich, savory broth with tender, delicate meat and is highly nutritious.