Crispy Stir-Fried Eel Strips

Why people make this dish

Eel is not the most popular ingredient in Cantonese kitchens, partly because it is scaleless (which marks it as a “reactive” food to be avoided by those with skin sensitivities) and partly because people are not always sure how to cook it. But Nourilo thinks that is a shame, because the nutritional value of rice-paddy eel is genuinely impressive — high protein, low fat, tenderly textured, with very few bones. Traditional Chinese food therapy values it for tonifying deficiency, strengthening the tendons and bones, and expelling wind and dampness. Modern research has also identified a compound called “eel peptide” (shan yu su) that has been studied for its potential blood-sugar-lowering activity, making eel of particular interest in traditional dietary support for people managing diabetes.

Method

1. Ask your fishmonger to fillet the eel and remove the spine. (Keep the bones — they make a wonderful soup with codonopsis, angelica, and red dates.)
2. Blanch the eel fillets briefly in boiling water; remove the slippery coating, then rinse clean.
3. Cut into thick strips. Marinate in a little ginger juice and rice wine for 10 minutes.
4. Heat a generous amount of oil in a wok over medium-high heat.
5. Dust the marinated eel strips in potato starch, shaking off the excess.
6. Deep-fry the strips until golden and crisp; remove and drain on paper towels.
7. Discard most of the oil, keeping just a thin film in the wok.
8. Stir-fry the minced ginger and garlic until fragrant.
9. Add the seasonings (oyster sauce, sugar, rice wine) and a splash of water — about 4 tablespoons — and bring to a boil.
10. Return the crispy eel strips to the wok and toss to coat with the sauce.
11. Scatter spring onion over the top and serve immediately.

Nourilo’s Tips

Most fishmongers are happy to fillet the eel for you — just ask. The bones are too good to waste: simmer them into a soup with codonopsis root (dang shen), angelica root (dang gui), red dates, and pork shank. This bone broth is particularly supportive for people with qi and blood deficiency, weak muscles, or kidney-deficiency back pain.