Sichuan Red Oil Pig Ear Strips

红油耳丝

Sichuan Red Oil Pig Ear Strips — a Sichuan Chinese recipe made with pig ears, ginger, ready in about 35 minutes. Step-by-step instructions with photos.

Ingredients

• pig ears (fresh or thawed frozen)
• ginger
• scallions (white and green parts)
• cooking wine
• rice vinegar
• white pepper

Instructions

1. Scrub pig ears thoroughly with coarse salt and vinegar. Place in a pot with cold water to cover, add half the ginger and half the scallions. Bring to boil, then drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Return ears to clean pot. Cover with fresh water, add remaining ginger and scallions. Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 45 minutes until a skewer slides through the thickest cartilage with slight resistance.
3. Drain ears and immerse immediately in ice water for 10 minutes. This firms texture and makes slicing easier.
4. Pat dry. Slice ears thinly against the grain into 3-cm-long, 2-mm-wide strips. Discard any thick cartilage cores. (Strips separate cleanly without shredding; no visible gristle remains.)
5. In a bowl, combine rice vinegar, white pepper, and cooking wine. Pour over ear strips. Toss gently. Let marinate 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.