Piquant Pigs Knuckles

Unusual Ingredients

Piquant Pigs Knuckles
Ingredients:
2 pigs knuckles, chopped or sawed into pieces about two-inches
5 scallions, each tied in a knot
1 carrot, peeled and cut into eight pieces
5 slices fresh ginger, cut into pieces
½ daikon, peeled and cut into two-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons lard
5 Tablespoons Sichuan bean paste
5 Tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 Tablespoons dark rock sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with the same amount of cold water
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 pound ground pork
½ pound Chinese cabbage. Cut into two-inch pieces
3 Tablespoons coarsely minced cilantro
Preparation:
1. Put the pig knuckle pieces, the scallion knots, carrots, ginger, and daikon pieces, and the lard into a very large glass or ceramic bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave it on high for five minutes, mixing it two or three times.
2. Remove the plastic wrap and add the hot bean paste, the soy sauce, and the rock sugar and stir. Cover it tightly with fresh plastic wrap and microwave another five minutes, then take it out of that oven, let it rest for five minutes and once again microwave it for five minutes.
3. Mix cornstarch mixture with all that is n the bowl, and let this rest for two minutes. Now put it in a large pot and simmer for half an hour. At this point, taste the meat around a knuckle piece and see if it s tender. If not simmer for another fifteen minutes and taste it again. It may need a third fifteen minute simmering. When it is tender, put it in a pre-heated casserole.
4. In a medium-size pot, add the oil and the ground pork, and stir it continuously for three minutes, then add the cabbage pieces and stir-fry for five minutes. Put this mixture into the pork knuckle casserole, sprinkle with the cilantro, and serve.
CROCODILE SOUP Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound crocodile meat
½ pound roasted pork belly, sliced thin
1/4 pound fresh ginseng, sliced thin
10 red dates, pits removed and discarded
5 slices fresh ginger
6 fresh Chinese back mushrooms, soaked, their stems discarded
1 whole fried bean curd stick, broken into smalll pieces
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoon thin soy sauce
2 teaspoons white rock sugar, crushed

Preparation:
1. Heat wok, add the oil, and the crocodile meat and the pork belly slices and stir-fry for ten minutes, then add two quarts of boiling water, reduce the heat, and simmer for half an hour or until both meats are tender and can be torn apart with chopsticks.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer another ten minutes, then serve. OYSTER PURSE OMELETTES Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
5 eggs
5 teaspoons oyster sauce ½ teaspoon coarse salt
5 bowls freshly cooked hot rice
Preparation:
1. Hat wok or large fry pan, then add the oil, and finally the eggs, one at a time.
2. When the whites are set, a one teaspoon of the sauce on top of each yolk, then fold the egg each egg over in half sealing in the sauce.
3. Put each folded egg on top of the hot rice, yolk side up, and serve. PORK TENDONS, BRAISED AND STUFFED Ingredients:
1/4 pound dried pork tendons, soaked for one hour in boiling water 1/4 pound boneless and skinless minced carp
2 Tablespoons lard 1 egg white 1 scallion, minced
2 slices fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 Tablespoons minced Jinhua or Smithfield ham 1 sprig coriander, minced 1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine 1 Tablespoon sesame oil 1 Tablespoon chicken fat ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup cold chicken stock
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Shao xing or another rice wine 1 teaspoon sesame oil Preparation:/i>
1. Squeeze water from soaked tendons, then slit each one partway making a pocket.
2. Mix carp, lard, egg white, scallion, ginger, ham, rice wine, sesame oil, chicken fat, and the ground pepper and divide into as many batches as there are tendons to stuff. Put them on an oiled heat-proof plate and steam for forty-five minutes or until tender. Then remove and set on a platter, and pour any liquid into a small pot.
3. Add stock and cornstarch and mx well, then bring to the boil. Stir for two minutes, then add the rice wine and the sesame oil, and stir again, then pour over the tendons, and serve. STEWED KIDNEYS AND CHESTNUTS: Ingredients:
1 pair kidneys, their white tissues removed and discarded, then each cut into four pieces, hatch marks made on their smooth sides ½ teaspoon coarse salt 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
4 slices fresh ginger, peeled 1 pound chestnuts, cooked and peeled 1 carot, peeled and wedge cut 1 Tablespoons cornstarch 1 Tablespoon thin soy sauce
Preparation:
1. Mix kidneys with the salt, then rinse then thoroughly, and dry them with paper towels.
2. Heat oil in a wok or heavy fry pan, and fry the ginger for one minute, then add the chestnuts and the carrot pieces and half cup of water, and simmer for five minutes.
3. Add the kidneys and stir-fry for two minutes at most, and then mix cornstarch with the soy sauce and stir until thickened; next add the sugar and the rice wine, stir well, and serve.

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