Article 93: Analysis of Famous Cantonese Dishes (Dishes 16-20): Five-Color Stir-fried Shrimp Strips, Stewed Chicken Feet with Sea Dog, Braised Mandarin Carp in Clay Pot, Braised Eel with Roasted Pork Belly, Five-Color Stir-fried Snake Strips

16. Five-color stir-fried shrimp strips

Ingredients: Main ingredient: 250g shrimp paste. Side ingredients: 250g winter bamboo shoots, 50g carrots, 25g green and red bell peppers, 25g onions, 25g chives. Seasonings: 1g shredded ginger, 0.15g minced garlic, 0.1g white pepper powder, 10g water chestnut starch, 5g Shaoxing wine, 35g broth, 2.5g dark soy sauce, 0.5g sesame oil, 750g rendered pork fat (approximately 75g used).

Preparation method: (1) First, boil water in a pot until it is just boiling; put the shrimp paste into a funnel-shaped paper bag, squeeze it out into strands and pour it into boiling water until cooked, then take it out.

(2) Blanch the winter bamboo shoots and carrots in boiling water and cut them into strips; cut the green and red peppers and onions into strips as well; cut the leek sprouts into sections about 5cm long.

(3) Mix the broth, sesame oil, pepper, dark soy sauce, and wet water chestnut powder into a bowl.

(4) Put the rendered pork fat into a pot and heat it over medium heat until it reaches about 50% of its maximum temperature. Add the shrimp shreds and stir-fry them in oil. Pour the oil into a strainer to drain. Using the remaining oil in the pot (about 25g), stir-fry the ginger shreds, onion, green and red peppers, and minced garlic until fragrant. Add the bamboo shoot shreds and carrot shreds and stir-fry evenly. Then add the shrimp shreds and chives and stir-fry evenly. Add Shaoxing wine to the bowl and stir-fry evenly. Add salad oil (10g) and stir-fry evenly again before serving.

Quality standards: The ingredients are brightly colored, with uniform, colorful shredded ingredients. The sauce is thick and bright red, with a texture that is tender, soft, crisp, and smooth. The flavor is savory, slightly spicy.

Key to the preparation: The key to this dish lies first in knife skills, and secondly in seasoning and sauce.

The uniformity in thickness and length of the five-colored shreds is key to the dish's aesthetic appeal and is also the essence of its preparation technique.

Shrimp paste is a prepared shrimp paste. Its consistency affects the texture of the "shrimp strips". Therefore, when preparing shrimp paste, it is important to control the amount of clear broth, egg white and starch. The thickness of the bamboo shoot strips, carrot strips, green and red pepper strips and onion strips should be the same as that of the shrimp strips.

The gravy for this dish should be thickened so that it doesn't pile up or fall apart when placed on the plate, and the amount of gravy should be slightly more than usual.

17. Stewed Chicken Feet with Sea Seal

Ingredients: Main ingredient: 1 seal fish (approx. 2500g). Side ingredients: 6 pairs of tender chicken feet, 25g cooked lean ham, 25g southern almonds, 10g dried longan pulp. Seasonings: 15g ginger slices, 15g ginger strips, 5g salt, 5g MSG, 0.1g white pepper powder, 25g ginger juice wine, 25g Shaoxing wine, 750g superior stock, 250g light stock, 30g peanut oil.

Preparation: (1) Press the seal onto the cutting board, make a horizontal cut under its neck to drain the blood, then scald it with 90°C hot water, scrape off the mucus on the skin, then cut it open from the belly, remove the intestines, wash it clean, take 750g from it and cut it into pieces, each piece about 25g, and use the rest for other purposes.

(2) Cut the ham into small pieces and the pork into chunks.

After briefly scalding the chicken feet with boiling water, peel off the outer skin, cut off the toenails, break the foot bones, and wash them clean.

Soak almonds in 250g of boiling water for about 10 minutes with the lid on, then peel and wash them.

Wash the dried longan flesh with clean water.

(3) Put the pork and chicken feet into a pot of boiling water and cook until done. Add the diced ham and then remove them together and put them into a stewing pot.

Blanch the seal meat in boiling water for about half a minute, then remove and rinse.

Heat a wok over medium heat, add peanut oil (15g), ginger juice and wine, then add chicken broth and sea dog meat. Simmer for about half a minute, then drain the water using a slotted spoon. Remove the ginger and scallions, and place the sea dog meat into a stewing pot. Add almonds, dried longan, ginger (5g), scallions (5g), Shaoxing wine, salt, and 750g of boiled water. Cover the pot and place it in a steamer. First, bring it to a boil over high heat, then simmer over medium heat for about 90 minutes until tender.

Remove the soup, skim off any foam, discard the ginger and scallions, add more stock, and simmer for another 30 minutes. Then, strain the broth, pour it back into the stewing pot, cover, and steam over medium heat for another 20 minutes. Remove the soup, add MSG and pepper, and it's ready to serve.

Quality standards: The soup is milky white and clear, the sea lion meat (giant salamander) is tender and flavorful, and the taste is salty, fresh and slightly spicy.

Key to the operation: The key to making this dish is to select fresh (artificially raised) ingredients and have a good broth to remove any unpleasant smells and enhance the flavor.

This dish is prepared by steaming. The initial cooking processes of scalding, scraping the skin, and blanching and stewing the sea lion (giant salamander) after slaughtering are important steps in removing its odor.

To enhance the flavor, a double steaming method is used, both times over medium heat for a long time, allowing the flavors of almonds, longan, pork, ham, chicken feet, and various seasonings to fully permeate with the flavor of the seal, creating a complex and delicious taste.

18. Braised Mandarin Carp in an Earthenware Pot

Ingredients: Main ingredient: 1 male carp (about 750g). Side ingredients: 25g lean pork, 25g rehydrated shiitake mushrooms. Seasonings: 50g ginger, 150g scallions, 6g salt, 4g MSG, 1g sugar, 0.05g white pepper, 5g dark soy sauce, 5g light soy sauce, 400g light stock, 0.5g sesame oil, 150g rendered pork fat.

Preparation: (1) Remove the scales and gills from the fish, cut open the belly and remove the intestines, and rub the inside of the fish with fine salt.

Cut the lean meat, shiitake mushrooms, and ginger into thin strips, then add dark soy sauce and light soy sauce and mix well.

(2) First, put the broth into the earthenware pot, then place bamboo mats on top, then place scallion strips on the bamboo mats, then place the fish on the scallion strips, and finally place shredded lean pork, shredded shiitake mushrooms, and shredded ginger on the fish.

In a separate wok, heat rendered pork fat until boiling and pour it over the fish. Then cover the fish, place it on the stove, bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until cooked.

Remove from heat, plate, bring the original sauce to a boil, add MSG and sesame oil, remove from heat, pour over the fish, and sprinkle with pepper.

Quality standards: The color is slightly reddish, the soup is rich and flavorful, and the fish is tender and delicious.

Key to the preparation: This dish uses fresh, live male carp, which is rich in fat and delicious. It is cooked in an earthenware pot to preserve its original flavor, resulting in a tender and fragrant dish. The key lies in the careful selection of ingredients, the meticulous preparation of seasonings, and the attention to the cooking process.

Seasoning the ingredients before heating is also very important. During heating, it is important to control the heat and time. After bringing it to a boil over high heat, it should be immediately reduced to medium heat, and the foam that is constantly produced should be skimmed off.

19. Braised Eel with Roasted Pork Belly

Ingredients: Main ingredient: 1 cleaned large eel (approx. 750g). Side ingredients: 150g roasted pork belly (near the ribs), 50g rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, 75g fried garlic. Seasonings: 1g minced garlic, 1.5g minced ginger, 2.5g dried tangerine peel powder, 4g salt, 4g MSG, 10g oyster sauce, 2.5g sugar, 0.05g white pepper, 10g dark soy sauce, 5g light soy sauce, 25g Shaoxing wine, 7.5g cornstarch, 250g light stock, 1g sesame oil, 1000g peanut oil (approx. 100g used).

Preparation: (1) Cut the eel into sections, each about 25g, and coat them evenly with light soy sauce.

Cut the roasted meat into pieces, each weighing about 15g.

(2) Heat a wok over high heat, add peanut oil and heat to 50% heat, add eel segments and fry for about 1 minute until light yellow, then drain the oil with a slotted spoon.

Return the wok to the stove, add garlic, ginger, dried tangerine peel powder, Shaoxing wine, chicken broth, eel segments, roasted meat chunks, shiitake mushrooms, fried garlic, salt, MSG, sugar, oyster sauce, and dark soy sauce. Simmer over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

Place the eel segments upright in an earthenware pot, arrange the roasted meat pieces and shiitake mushrooms on top, pour in the original broth, and steam over medium heat for about 30 minutes until tender. Remove from the steamer, pour out the original broth and reserve it. Place the eel segments on a plate and sprinkle with pepper.

(3) Heat a wok over medium heat, add peanut oil (10g), add the original juice, thicken with cornstarch slurry, add sesame oil and peanut oil (20g) and stir well. Pour the sauce over the eel segments and it's ready.

Quality standards: Bright red color, tender eel meat, glossy sauce, and savory-sweet flavor.

Key to the operation: "Nan" is one of the ancient cooking methods, which is to boil it.

This dish is prepared using frying, dry-frying, and steaming methods, resulting in a richer flavor and a more vibrant red color.

In the specific operation, it is important to control the heat of the above three stages. The first step is to fry the eel segments, which must be done with hot oil to color them. The second step is to fry them over medium heat for a short time to enhance the flavor and color. The third step is to steam them over medium heat with full steam for a slightly longer time to enhance the aroma and make them thoroughly cooked.

20. Five-color stir-fried snake shreds

Ingredients: Main ingredient: 200g cooked snake shreds. Side ingredients: 50g char siu, 50g rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, 50g cooked fresh bamboo shoots, 50g chives, 15g shredded ginger, 15g dried rice vermicelli, 2.5g lemon leaves, 50g egg liquid, 0.5g minced garlic. Seasonings: 1.5g salt, 0.1g pepper, 10g Shaoxing wine, 7.5g cornstarch slurry, 35g stock, 0.5g sesame oil, 500g peanut oil (approximately 75g used).

Preparation: (1) Cut the char siu, shiitake mushrooms and fresh bamboo shoots into thin strips (slightly thicker than snake shreds); cut the chives into sections; cut the lemon leaves into thin strips (the thinner the better); and beat the egg liquid.

(2) Place the wok on the stove, add 250g of boiling water, add salt, and blanch the ginger, shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots for about 30 seconds. Remove and pat dry with a clean towel.

Prepare a thickening sauce by mixing broth, sesame oil, pepper, and cornstarch.

(3) Heat a wok over medium heat, add peanut oil and heat until it is half-cooked. Add the egg mixture while stirring with chopsticks. Cook for about 1 minute until it becomes shredded. After it floats to the surface, pour it into a slotted spoon to drain the oil. Use chopsticks to separate the shredded eggs. After cooling, wrap them in a clean towel and wring out the oil to make egg shreds.

(4) Heat a wok over medium heat, add peanut oil and heat to 40% heat, add dried rice vermicelli and fry until crispy and white, pour into a slotted spoon to drain the oil, and place on a plate.

Place the wok back on the stove, add peanut oil (10g), stir-fry garlic, ginger, shredded char siu, shredded shiitake mushrooms, shredded bamboo shoots, and shredded snake. Add chives, Shaoxing wine, thicken with cornstarch slurry, drizzle with peanut oil (25g), mix well, remove and place on top of fried vermicelli, sprinkle with lemon leaf strips, and arrange egg strips around the edges.

Quality standards: Bright and harmonious colors, uniform shape, salty, fresh, dry, crisp and tender taste, and beautiful and elegant presentation.

Key to success: The key to making this dish lies in knife skills and controlling the heat.

Knife skills refer to the ability to cut shredded char siu, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and ginger into uniform thickness and length, with neat and consistent shapes, which is a condition for aesthetic appeal; cooking time refers to the control of heat when blanching, frying, stir-frying, and thickening the main ingredients.

When blanching ingredients, they can be blanched in one pot or in separate pots, but always in boiling water.

When blanching vegetables in separate pots, first add shredded ginger, bring to a boil, then add shredded bamboo shoots, bring to a boil again, then add shredded shiitake mushrooms, bring to a boil again, and then remove them all from the pot.

The egg mixture needs to be fried in oil at 60°C, the vermicelli in oil at 90°C, and the final stir-frying, cooking with Shaoxing wine and thickening with cornstarch, requires oil at 210°C, high heat, and quick cooking.