China · Sichuan

Sichuan Cold Spiced Rabbit

Name: Sichuan Cold Spiced Rabbit
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sichuan
Ingredients: amount of salt 2 g; amount of MSG 1 g; amount of oyster sauce 5 g; amount of cooking wine 10 g; amount of oil 1 l; total scallion, leek or onion 15 g; amount of bay leaf 5 pieces; amount of white cardamom 2 pieces; amount of fennel seed 15 g; amount of white sesame 25 g

Chunks of rabbit deep-fried until firm, then tossed with dried chili and Sichuan pepper and left overnight so the seasoning sinks in.

38 minutes · 4 servings · Moderate

This is one of the signature dishes of Zigong, the salt traders who made Sichuan famous for preserved and fire-dried food. The name means cold-eaten: the rabbit is fried, seasoned and then set aside, and the flavour is noticeably better the next day. Rabbit was once everyday fare in the hills, and cooking it this way made a small catch go a long way.

Ingredients

amount of salt2 g
amount of MSG1 g
amount of oyster sauce5 g
amount of cooking wine10 g
amount of oil1 l
total scallion, leek or onion15 g
amount of bay leaf5 pieces
amount of white cardamom2 pieces
amount of fennel seed15 g
amount of white sesame25 g

Directions

1
Peel and mince the garlic and ginger; wash the star anise, cassia bark, bay leaf, sandalwood, white cardamom and fennel seed and set aside.
2
Cut the dried chili into two-centimeter lengths and wash them.
3
Wash the scallion, leek or onion, and cut the onion into small chunks.
4
Chop the rabbit into two-centimeter pieces, season with the salt, cooking wine and MSG, and marinate for fifteen minutes.
5
Pour the oil into the wok; at medium heat add the scallion, leek or onion and fry gently until fragrant and just browning, then lift out.
6
Raise the heat, and when the oil is very hot add the rabbit; drop to medium heat and fry until lightly golden, then remove.
7
Raise the oil temperature again and add the dried chili, green Sichuan pepper, star anise, cassia bark, bay leaf, sandalwood, white cardamom and fennel seed; lower the heat and fry until the chili pieces crisp up.
8
Return the rabbit to the wok, add the oyster sauce and stir-fry for a few minutes.
9
Turn off the heat and add the garlic, ginger and white sesame, stirring them evenly through.
10
Leaving it overnight makes it more flavorful.

Source: HowToCook · WorldBite adaptation · Unlicense source text; bilingual recipe adapted by WorldBite.