Guilin Eighteen Stuffed Dishes

Method5 steps

1. 1

   Prepare the Containers

   容器预处理

   Remove the seeds and hollow out the green peppers; cut the bitter melon into segments and remove the pith; cut the eggplant into thick slices and slit the center without cutting all the way through. For river snails, blanch them and remove the meat.

   将青椒去籽挖空、苦瓜切段去瓤、茄子切厚片并在中间切开但不切断；若是田螺则需焯水取肉。

   ⏱15 min

   • 💡 The containers must be prepared as hollow tubes to allow stuffing.容器需处理成中空管状以便填塞
   • 💡 After removing the snail meat, mince it finely for mixing.田螺肉取出后需剁碎准备混合
   
2. 2

   Prepare the Filling

   馅料调制

   Mince the pork and season it with a 3:7 fat-to-lean ratio. For stuffed river snails, mix the snail meat with pork at a 1:1 ratio and add perilla and mint. Shrimp paste can be used as-is or mixed with the meat filling.

   将猪肉剁碎，按肥瘦 3:7 比例调好味；田螺酿需将螺肉与猪肉 1:1 混合并加入紫苏薄荷；虾滑可直接使用或与肉馅混搭。

   ⏱15 min

   • 💡 Stir the meat filling until it becomes sticky for a chewier texture.肉馅搅拌至上劲口感更弹牙
   • 💡 The fat-to-lean ratio directly affects the juiciness of the finished dish.肥瘦比例直接影响成品的多汁程度
   
3. 3

   Stuff the Filling

   塞填馅料（酿心）

   Stuff the seasoned filling into each prepared container ingredient one by one, pressing firmly to prevent it from falling out during cooking.

   将调好的肉馅逐一塞入准备好的容器食材中，并按压紧实，防止烹饪时脱落。

   ⏱20 min

   • 💡 Do not overfill, as the filling may expand and overflow when heated.不要填得过满，以免受热膨胀溢出
   
4. 4

   Pan-Fry to Set

   煎制定型

   Heat oil in a wok, place the stuffed dishes cut-side down, and pan-fry until the surface of the filling turns golden. For stuffed green peppers, fry until they develop a tiger-skin pattern.

   锅中入油，将酿菜开口朝下放入锅中，煎至肉馅表面金黄。青椒酿需煎出虎皮色。

   ⏱10 min

   • 💡 Do not use too high a heat, to avoid burning the outside while the inside remains raw.火候不宜过大，防止外焦里生
   
5. 5

   Braise to Infuse Flavor

   焖煮入味

   Add the prepared sauce (such as light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a small amount of water), braise over medium-low heat until the ingredients are cooked through and flavorful, then finish over high heat to reduce the sauce.

   加入调好的酱汁（如生抽、蚝油、少量水），中小火焖煮至食材熟透入味，最后大火收汁。

   ⏱20 min

   • 💡 For stuffed river snails, add more perilla and mint during braising to enhance the aroma.田螺酿焖煮时可多放些紫苏和薄荷增香