Ingredients for Spicy Mint Stir-Fried Snails: 1-2 jin of snails, 50g (a handful) of mint, 4 chili peppers, 6 cloves of garlic, salt to taste, chicken essence powder to taste, wine to taste, soy sauce to taste.
Method:
Step 1: Soak the snails in clean water for 1-2 days with a piece of iron to encourage them to expel mud and sand. After soaking, use pliers to remove the tail end of the snails to facilitate flavor absorption during cooking and ease of eating. Rinse them again with water.
Step 2: Boil water, add snails, and a pinch of salt, then blanch them.
Step 3: After blanching, rinse the snails with cold water.
Step 4: Prepare chili peppers, mint, and garlic cloves. Chop them finely.
Step 5: Heat oil, and when hot, add chili peppers, mint, and minced garlic to sauté until fragrant. Add a little salt at this stage.
Step 6: Add snails and stir-fry to release their aroma. Add an appropriate amount of wine, then add water and bring to a boil.
Step 7: Season with salt, chicken essence powder, and light soy sauce according to personal taste. Mix well, cover, and simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes to allow the snails to absorb the flavors.
Step 8: Increase the heat to thicken the sauce and then serve.
Cooking Tips: 1. Why blanch the snails? If snails are not blanched, they are not easy to cook thoroughly, and blanching can also remove some of the fishy taste, making them cleaner to eat. 2. Mint can be added more generously, and the amount of chili peppers can be adjusted according to personal preference for spiciness. 3. A folk method for cleaning snails: Place snails in a basin filled with clean water and insert non-stainless steel ironware such as knives and spatulas into the snail pile.
The next day, you will find the ironware covered with snails, with a layer of snails and expelled mud at the bottom of the basin, and many snail offspring. This method ensures a cleaner preparation. 4. Wine can be replaced with cooking wine, beer, or spirits, mainly to remove the fishy odor. The author used spirits as the cooking wine was finished.
Good cooking always involves techniques, and each of my dishes has a little trick. You can search for ‘Cantonese Snacks’ to directly view my recipes!
