Jellyfish and Crabmeat, Very Old Style

Unusual Ingredients

Jellyfish and Crabmeat, Very Old Style
Ingredients:
5 or 6 large dried jellyfish, rinsed three times, then soaked for one hour
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, cut in quarters
2 slices fresh ginger, cut into strips
4 cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine
2 Tablespoons lard
1/4 cup Yunnan or Smithfield ham, cut in slivers
1/2 pound crab meat
1 Tablespoon cornstarch mixed with equal amount of cold water
1/8 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
8 trimmed stalks young bokcai or the hearts of another Chinese green, steamed for five minutes
Preparation:
1. Bring eight cups of water to just below the boil, drop jellyfish in and immediately take out and put in bowl of ice water. Roll, then cut into thin strips.
2. Heat oil in a large pot and fry shallot and ginger just until it is fragrant, about one minute. Remove half and set aside, then put stock and wine into the pot and simmer for half hour. Add jellyfish and simmer for fifteen minutes, then remove it and set aside.
3. In wok or another pan, heat lard and add the reserved shallot and ginger pieces and the ham. Stir-fry for a minute.
4. Put vegetable into the stockpot and let it get hot.
5. Add crab meat to the ham mixture and stir, then add jellyfish strips, and stir once or twice before adding starch mixture and Sichuan pepper. Stir, put into stock pot, and serve.

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