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.