Stir-Fried Shredded Eel (Chao Shan Hu)

Why people make this dish

Rice-field eel is prized in Chinese cooking as a nourishing food, traditionally associated with tonifying deficiency, strengthening the sinews and bones, and easing wind-damp — which is why it suits middle-aged and older adults so well. For this dish, the slimmer eels give the crispest flesh. Stir-fried shredded eel is a Shanghai classic: lovely with just bean sprouts, or with chives, and a few bird’s-eye chillies for those who like heat.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Middle-aged and older adults wanting a strengthening, savoury dish
• Pregnant women may eat eel
• Cook the eel thoroughly; those with seafood allergies should take care

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Rice-field eel (huang shan): traditionally tonifies deficiency, strengthens sinews and bones, and disperses wind-damp.
• Bean sprouts (ya cai): light and crisp, balancing the richness of the eel.
• Chives (jiu cai / jiu huang): warming and aromatic; finish quickly so they stay tender.

Ingredients (2-3 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Small rice-field eels (huang shan)	3-4	The slimmer ones are crisper
Mung bean sprouts (ya cai)	4 taels (~150 g)	Organic if possible
Chives (jiu cai / jiu huang)	2 taels (~75 g)	Cut into segments
Minced ginger (jiang rong)	to taste
Minced garlic (suan rong)	to taste
Seasoning	to taste	Rice wine, oil, light soy

Method

1. Bone the eels, blanch the flesh briefly in boiling water, then lift out at once and rinse off the slime. Shred and marinate lightly with a little rice wine and oil.
2. Wash the bean sprouts. Wash the chives and cut into segments.
3. Heat oil and quickly stir-fry the bean sprouts, then lift out.
4. Add a little oil, fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant, add the shredded eel and stir-fry until aromatic.
5. Return the bean sprouts, season, then add the chives, toss a few times, finish with a thin starch glaze and plate up.

Bro Niu’s tips

Do not overcook the chives or they turn tough. The bones you remove from the eel can be pan-fried and simmered into a soup — good for those who are weak in qi and blood, or tired and run down.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Lu lu): Can pregnant women eat rice-field eel? And which fish are most nourishing? Bro Niu: Pregnant women can eat rice-field eel. It is best to choose small marine fish such as croaker, threadfin or red snapper, which carry less ciguatera toxin; pond fish are fine too but, being often raised with hormones, should not be eaten in excess.
• Q (Priscilla): Any food therapy for clearing “alcohol-damp”? I drink beer long-term and feel damp with some deficient heat. Bro Niu: Kudzu flower (ge hua) helps clear alcohol-damp; brew it as a tea. Or simmer 1 catty kudzu root, 2 taels raw Job’s tears and 1 tael hyacinth bean in a lean-pork soup — but best to cut down on the drinking.

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Published April 13, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.