Skip to main content

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.
Read More
Originally called omelette à la neige (snow omelet) in reference to the fluffy snow-like appearance of the meringue, île flottante (floating island) has a lengthy history that dates back to the 17th century.
Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.
Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.
Turn inky black rice into a dreamy coconut milk pudding you’re fully authorized to enjoy for breakfast or dessert.
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.
Berbere is a spicy chile blend that has floral and sweet notes from coriander and cardamom, and when it’s paired with a honey glaze, it sets these wings apart from anything else you’ve ever had.
Creamy, vinegary, and with lots of fresh dill.