Red-Lees Braised Eel
Battered and deep-fried eel slices stuffed with pork fat, golden in color, with a crispy exterior and tender interior — a Fujian (Min) specialty.
Ingredients
Sea eel fillet (cut into 12 rectangular thin slices, hinged on one side)
500 g
Pork fat (cut into 12 rectangular thin slices)
75 g
Egg white (beaten with flour into a batter)
4
Red lees (red fermented rice)
45 g
Shaoxing wine
20 g
Sugar
20 g
Salt
a pinch
Flour
75 g
Sesame oil
45 g
Hot lard (for frying)
700 g
Instructions
1
Prepare ingredients
Split open the eel's belly, remove the intestines, and wash it clean. Take the middle section (about 500 g), split it in half, and slice it into 12 rectangular pieces roughly 1.5 cun long and 7 fen wide. Slice each piece again into 2 thin slices, leaving one side uncut so the slices remain connected. Cut the pork fat into 12 rectangular pieces about 1.3 cun long and 6 fen wide. Stir the red lees, sugar, wine, and salt together in a small bowl.
2
Stuff and coat
Briefly dip the eel slices into the salt-and-wine seasoning. Toss the pork fat slices in the bowl of seasoning, then sandwich them one by one between the paired eel slices. Brush the egg white and flour batter around the edges of each fish slice to seal the seams shut.
3
Fry
Heat the lard (700 g) in a wok over medium-low heat. Add the stuffed eel slices and fry until crisp (about 5 minutes). Drain off the oil, add the sesame oil, toss briefly, and serve.
