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Pi Dong (Jellied Stock)

Frequently used to stuff soup dumplings, this rich stock is sliceable when cold. As it's heated, the stock will become soupy.

Ingredients

½ pound (225 g) pig skin, cut into 1x3-inch (2.5x7.5-cm) strips
½ pound (225 g) pig trotters, including skin, joints, and tendons
6 cups (1.4 L) chicken stock
2 scallions, chopped into 1½ inch (4-cm) segments
2 bay leaves
2 slices fresh ginger
2 whole star anise
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the pig skin and bones in a large pot. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until the skin curls up, about 5 minutes. Strain and reserve the trotters and skin.

    Step 2

    When cool enough to handle, cut the pig skin into ½-inch (12-mm) dice.

    Step 3

    In a clean pot, combine the trotters and diced pig skin with the chicken stock, scallions, bay leaves, ginger, star anise, and wine. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Add the white pepper and salt and adjust to taste.

    Step 4

    Strain the stock into a heat-proof container with a lid. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to chill and set overnight. The stock can be made in advance and will keep in the fridge for a few days.

cover of the cookbook My Shanghai featuring a steamer with dumplings
Reprinted with permission from My Shanghai: Recipes and Stories from a City on the Water by Betty Liu, copyright © 2021 by Betty Liu. Published by Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from Harper Collins, Amazon, or Bookshop.
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