Four Auspicious Delights
A festive banquet dish featuring fresh vegetables in four different colors, cut into auspicious "吉庆" shapes and braised in chicken broth.
Ingredients
Asparagus lettuce (cut into 3 cm cubes, carved into auspicious shapes)
300 g
Wet starch
15 g
Carrot (cut into 3 cm cubes, carved into auspicious shapes)
300 g
Ginger (sliced)
20 g
Potato (cut into 3 cm cubes, carved into auspicious shapes)
300 g
Green onion (tied into a knot)
25 g
White radish (cut into 3 cm cubes, carved into auspicious shapes)
300 g
Chicken broth
400 g
White pepper powder
1 g
Lard (rendered pork fat)
50 g
Sichuan salt
3 g
Chicken fat (rendered)
20 g
MSG (monosodium glutamate)
1 g
Instructions
1
Step 1
Cut the asparagus lettuce, potato, carrot, and white radish into 3 cm cubes. First use a decorative knife to score the ridges, then make six cuts to shape them into 'auspicious' forms. Cut 15 pieces from each ingredient, for a total of 60 pieces.
2
Step 2
Bring clear water to a rolling boil in a wok, then blanch each of the four main ingredients separately. After heating through, transfer them to cold water to cool.
3
Step 3
Place the wok over medium heat, add the lard and heat to about 50% hot. Add the ginger slices and knotted green onion to release their aroma, then pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil for about 1 minute. Skim off any foam from the surface and remove the ginger and green onion.
4
Step 4
Add the four-color auspicious pieces to the pot, season with Sichuan salt, white pepper, and MSG, and simmer for about 2 minutes. Then stir in the wet starch to create a light, slightly thickened sauce. Add the rendered chicken fat, transfer to a serving plate, and serve.
