Crossing the bridge eel

Cross-bridge eel is a kind of eel dish cooked with Monopterus albus, a Jiangyin aquatic product. It is one of the famous dishes in Jiangyin in past dynasties, with a history of 200-300 years. Crossing the bridge eel was created by the chef of Cai Shu, a magistrate of Jiangyin during the Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty, and then processed, refined and sublimated on behalf of the chef. Its cause, there is such a story. Cai Shu was born in a scholarly family, and respected Confucius as his teacher everywhere. He was more respectful and pious every time he offered sacrifices to Confucius, to show that he did not forget the sermon. That year, his chef conceived of cooking a special dish to entertain the host and guests when Cai Shu offered sacrifices to Confucius. In meditation, he saw exquisitely carved rockeries and dexterous and elegant bridges in the garden. Inspired by them, he took eel slices as the main material, exploded and braised them, and cooked them into dishes shaped like arch bridges, in order to imply that to worship in Jiangyin Confucius Temple, you must cross the bridge first. After this dish was served, because of its beautiful and fragrant shape, fresh and crisp, the guests and guests were all amazed. Since then, the dish of crossing the bridge eel has become famous all over the world and has been passed down to this day. The cooking method of crossing the bridge eel is: the eel is slaughtered, boned, washed and dried to make it into eel slices (backs). Spread the eel slices flat on the chopping block, and cut them into oblique blocks with an oblique cross knife. Then, put large pieces of eel slices in a basin, add appropriate amount of yellow wine, soy sauce and onion ginger for pickling for 30 minutes, and then drain the juice for later use. Put the casserole on fire, add oil, put it into the eel section when it is 80% hot, pick it up when it curls, and fry it again after the oil temperature rises. Fry it for several times, and drain the oil when the fragrance overflows and the surface crusts. Heat the wok again, add 50 grams of cooked oil, add onion, ginger slices and garlic paste, take out after frying, stir-fry winter bamboo shoots, add eel, add broth, white sugar and soy sauce, bring to a boil, move to a low fire for stewing, then turn to high fire to collect juice, pour a little sesame oil, and then put into the pot and bowl. Before serving, sprinkle some white pepper on its surface, which will taste more fragrant and fresh. Crossing the bridge eel, deep red in color, crisp and mellow, salty and sweet, shaped like an arch bridge, unique, can yet be regarded as a delicious dish with beautiful leaves.
Reprinted with attribution： https://cnlocality.com/(Chinese Specialty Products)