Ingredients
1 whole male goat (about 5000 g / 11 lbs).
Seasonings
750 ml cooking oil, 450 g chili sauce, 200 g dark soy sauce, 500 ml cooking wine, 5 g each white pepper and bay leaves, 10 g star anise, 15 g each cinnamon and goji berries, 2 g cloves, 6 cardamom pods, 3 g each white cardamom, sand ginger, fennel seeds, and amomum tsao-ko, 4 g dried tangerine peel, 50 g red dates, 20 g cumin, 100 g ginger (smashed), 250 g scallions, and salt, chicken bouillon, and MSG to taste.
Instructions
1. Wash and crush ginger pieces and scallions; dry-roast cumin over low heat until fragrant, then grind into powder; after slaughtering the goat, remove the skin, innards, head, and hooves, then scrape clean any remaining hair and bloodstains from the meat; chop the meat into chunks, soak in clean water for 2-3 hours, then drain off the blood water; blanch the meat in boiling water, remove, drain well, and set aside.
2. Place a wok over high heat, add oil and heat until it reaches 60-70% hot (about 350°F/175°C). First, stir-fry the ginger and scallions until fragrant, then add the lamb chunks and stir-fry vigorously. Splash in some of the Shaoxing wine, and once the lamb shrinks and changes color, quickly add the chili bean paste and stir-fry over medium heat until aromatic. Next, add dark soy sauce and stir-fry until the lamb is evenly colored. Immediately transfer everything to a large clay pot, pour in about 2000 g (roughly 8 1/2 cups) of water, and add star anise, sand ginger, cinnamon, and other spices.
3. Move the clay pot to the stove, bring to a boil over medium heat and skim off any foam, then add cooking wine, salt, and pepper, followed by carrots, red dates, and goji berries, cover and braise over medium-low heat for 40 to 50 minutes until the lamb is tender and falling apart, then uncover, discard the ginger, scallions, carrots, and spice solids, and stir in chicken bouillon, MSG, and ground cumin.
4. When serving, accompany the dish with separate plates of fried gluten puffs, aged tofu, napa cabbage, and cilantro. Typically, diners first enjoy the lamb from the clay pot, and once they've eaten their fill and are warmed by the wine, they use the original broth in the pot to cook the accompanying ingredients and various meats and vegetables. This hot pot dish features a rich, thick broth with deep color, and the lamb is tender and succulent without any gamey taste.