Basic Stewing Broth Recipe

Basic Stewing Broth Recipe

Five-spice ingredients as needed that is, 5 star anises, 10 sichuan peppercorns,

  5 cardamom, 3 cloves and 1 large piece of tangerine peel

Scallions, trimmed and cut into 3 inch length

garlic and ginger, peeled and smashed with the back of a knife

3 red chili peppers, washed and leave whole

2 tablespoons cooking wine (Kaoliang wine)

3 tablespoons thick dark soy sauce

1.3 oz (40 g) rock sugar

1 level tablespoon salt

15 cups soup stock

Method:

Stuff all the five-spice ingredients inside a cotton pouch and seal the opening tightly.  Use approximately 3 tablespoons of cooking oil to stir-fry scallions, ginger, garlic and chili pepper until fragrant.  Drizzle in the wine (Kaoliang wine is the best because of its aroma), then add thick dark soy sauce, rock sugar, salt and soup stock.  Bring to a boil.  When preparing stewing broth, simmer the five-spice pouch in the liquid over low heat for 20 minutes to release the flavor of the spices, then add the cooked ingredients and stew.