Ingredients
350 g live eel, 50 g each of shrimp and sliced pork kidney, 30 g cooked bamboo shoot slices, 20 g each of cooked ham and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, 10 g rehydrated dried shrimp, 5 g shrimp roe, 750 g pork broth.
Seasonings
15 g Shaoxing wine, 15 g scallions, 7.5 g ginger, 5 g salt, 3 g MSG (or to taste), 1.5 g white pepper, and vegetable oil as needed.
Instructions
1. Wash the eel thoroughly, remove the head, tail, and backbone, then rinse and cut into 7 cm (about 2 3/4 inch) sections.
2. Place the wok over high heat and heat until hot, then add the soybean oil and heat until it reaches about 80% hot (around 350°F/175°C). Add the eel segments and deep-fry for 2 minutes, then remove and drain. Return the wok to the heat, add the eel segments back in, pour in the pork broth, and add the remaining ingredients along with the Shaoxing wine, scallion sections, and ginger slices. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
3. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the soup turns milky white, then return to high heat, remove the scallions and ginger, add salt and MSG, transfer to a large soup bowl, and sprinkle with white pepper. This soup is clear and aromatic, with a savory flavor and tender, soft meat.