Red-Braised Sparrows
Sparrows braised with green peas and carrots — a dish traditionally valued for strengthening the spleen and supporting yang.
Ingredients
Sparrows (killed by beating, feathers plucked clean, innards removed and washed, feet and claws cut off)
15
Cooked green peas
50 g
Cooked carrots (cut into chunks)
50 g
Scallion segments
to taste
Ginger slices
to taste
Star anise
to taste
Fennel
to taste
Cinnamon bark
to taste
Cooking wine
to taste
Soy sauce
to taste
White sugar
to taste
MSG
to taste
Wet cornstarch
to taste
Sesame oil
to taste
Vegetable oil
to taste
Instructions
1
Ingredient Preparation
Beat the sparrows to kill them, pluck away all the feathers, remove the innards and wash clean, and cut off the feet and claws. Blanch briefly in boiling water, then lift out and toss with soy sauce to marinate. Cut the carrots into chunks.
2
Frying the Sparrows
Heat oil in a wok to about 60% hot, add the sparrows and fry until lightly golden, then pour them into a strainer to drain.
3
Red Braising
Leave a little oil in the original wok and stir-fry the scallions and ginger until fragrant. Add the sparrows, splash in the cooking wine, then add soy sauce, white sugar, star anise, fennel, cinnamon bark, and water. Cover the wok with a lid, bring to a boil over high heat, then move to low heat and braise until tender. Return to high heat, uncover, and cook for 1 minute. Pick out and discard the star anise, fennel, and cinnamon bark.
4
Thickening and Finishing
Add the green peas and carrots, sprinkle in the MSG, thicken with a thin wet cornstarch slurry, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve immediately.
