Braised Pounded Eel (Dun Sheng Qiao)
A classic Nanjing dish where eel is tenderized by pounding then braised, resulting in succulent meat and a rich, savory sauce.
Ingredients
16 items- Live eel 500g
- Shaoxing wine 2 tbsp
- Salt 1 tsp
- Cornstarch 3 tbsp
- Ginger 5g
- Scallion 2 stalks
- Garlic 3 cloves
- Light soy sauce 2 tbsp
- Dark soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Sugar 1 tbsp
- Vinegar 1 tsp
- Broth 300ml
- Cornstarch slurry 2 tbsp
- Sesame oil 1 tsp
- White pepper a pinch
- Cilantro to taste
Nutrition
Steps （6 steps）
Debone the live eel, pound both sides evenly with the back of a knife until tender, cut into 5cm pieces. Marinate with 1 tbsp wine and 1/2 tsp salt for 10 minutes.
Drain the eel pieces, coat evenly with cornstarch. Heat oil to 180°C over medium-high, fry eel pieces in batches until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes, then drain.
Leave a little oil in the pan, sauté ginger, scallion, and garlic over medium heat until fragrant. Add fried eel, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar, stir well.
Pour in the broth, bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam, then reduce to low heat, cover, and braise for 20 minutes until the eel is tender and easily pierced with chopsticks.
Turn to high heat to reduce the sauce. When it thickens to half, add the cornstarch slurry, stirring quickly until the sauce coats the eel pieces.
Drizzle with sesame oil, sprinkle white pepper, toss to combine. Plate and garnish with cilantro.
Tips
Pound the eel evenly to avoid breaking the flesh. Keep oil at 180°C to prevent burning. Braise on low heat for maximum tenderness and flavor absorption.
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