Dry Pot Flash-Fried Eel Segments

Dry Pot Flash-Fried Eel Segments

Ingredients

• 500g (3 pieces) wild yellow eel
• 6 stalks garlic chive stems
• to taste pickled chili (spicy)
• to taste bird’s eye chili (spicy)
• 1 bell pepper (mild)
• 2 Erjingtian chili (mild)
• appropriate amount scallion, ginger, garlic
• 2 ladle scoops (for marinating + stir-frying) Hua Diao cooking wine
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• to taste salt
• a pinch MSG
• 1 ladle scoop cooking oil

Instructions

1. Remove the cartilage and head from the eel, rinse clean, and drain well.
2. Cut into small segments. Add scallion, ginger, and Hua Diao wine; toss and marinate for 10 minutes.
3. Cut garlic chive stems into small segments.
4. Prep the bird’s eye chili, Erjingtian chili, bell pepper, pickled chili, scallion, ginger, and garlic.
5. Heat generous oil in a wok until 80–90% hot — small bubbles should rise from the surface.
6. Add eel segments to the wok, quickly separate and push apart with a ladle. Flash-fry over high heat for 2 minutes to remove excess moisture and firm up the flesh. This also removes the muddy flavor. Do not over-fry, or the eel will become deep-fried.
7. After flash-frying, drain the oil and set the eel aside.
8. In the remaining oil, sauté the scallion, ginger, and garlic until fragrant.
9. Return the eel segments to the wok and flash-fry quickly over high heat.
10. Add the garlic chive stems.
11. Add Hua Diao wine, oyster sauce, and soy sauce; flash-fry quickly to coat evenly.
12. Just before finishing, add the bell pepper, Erjingtian chili, pickled chili, and bird’s eye chili. Toss evenly, adjust salt and MSG to taste.
13. Plate and serve.
14. A perfect pairing with drinks or rice — enjoy this river-fresh delicacy.