Complete Guide to Cooking Masked Palm Civet, Detailed Explanation of Various Cooking Methods
The masked palm civet is one of the “Eight Treasures,” and in cooking it is often mainly braised. Traditional Chinese medicine theory holds that its flavour is sweet and its nature is neutral, and that it has effects such as tonifying the middle and boosting qi, treating various chronic diseases, dispelling wandering wind, and healing intestinal wind with bloody stool. Below, let us take a look at the complete guide to cooking masked palm civet!
Braised Masked Palm Civet
[Ingredients] 500 grams of masked palm civet meat, 150 grams of peeled pear, 10 grams each of scallion knots and Shaoxing wine, 15 grams each of ginger pieces and rock sugar, 50 grams each of soy sauce and lard.
[Method] ① Soak the civet meat in warm water until soft, wash clean, chop into 4 cm square pieces, put into a pot containing the second rinse water from washing rice (if it is not cooked through the rice-washing water, the meat is not easy to soften), bring to a boil over high heat, then remove and drain dry. Cut the pear into orange-segment pieces. ② Heat the pot and add oil; when it is 60% hot, add the civet meat and stir-fry thoroughly, add water until level with the meat, then add rock sugar, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, salt, scallion knots, and ginger pieces (smashed), bring to a boil, then switch to low heat and simmer until 80% tender, pick out the scallion knots and ginger pieces, add the pear pieces, and when the pear is soft and tender, switch to high heat and cook until the gravy is thick and sticky.
Stewed Masked Palm Civet
[Ingredients] 1000 grams of masked palm civet, 150 grams of pork (lean), 10 grams of codonopsis, 10 grams of astragalus, 15 grams of yam (dried), 15 grams of goji berries, 60 grams of morinda root, 10 grams of cooking wine, 15 grams of ginger.
[Method] ① Buy quick-frozen masked palm civet, and after thawing, soak it in boiling water. ② Wash the lean meat clean and also blanch it in boiling water, cut into pieces, and place together with the masked palm civet in a stewing jar, placing old ginger on top. ③ Put all the medicinal herbs together into the stewing jar on top of the ginger slices, sprinkle on one tablespoon of wine, pour in cold boiled water to 80% full, seal the jar lid with gauze paper, place in a pot and stew over water for a full three hours before serving.
Spicy Masked Palm Civet
[Ingredients] 400 grams of rapeseed hearts, 200 grams of masked palm civet, 15 grams of vegetable oil, 8 grams of salt, 2 grams of MSG, 25 grams of doubanjiang, 10 grams of ginger, 5 grams of garlic, 15 grams of cooking wine.
[Method] ① After cleaning the masked palm civet, cut it into large pieces and remove all blood water. ② Add ginger, scallion, and cooking wine, steam until cooked, then debone and cut into strips. ③ After stir-frying homestyle flavouring sauce, add the masked palm civet, pour in fresh soup, add the vegetable hearts, salt, MSG, and doubanjiang, braise until flavourful, remove from the pot, and arrange on a plate lined with vegetable hearts. ④ Stir-fry dried chili segments and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant, then pour over the top.
[Tips] ① The masked palm civet should be pressed soft, and when braising, the flavour should be stronger to suppress its own gamey smell. ② When frying the oil, the dried chilies must not be burned.
Casserole Masked Palm Civet
[Ingredients] 300 grams of masked palm civet, 150 grams of shiitake mushrooms (fresh), 150 grams of winter bamboo shoots, 50 grams of ham, 20 grams of doubanjiang, 5 grams of ginger, 10 grams of scallion, 15 grams of cooking wine, 8 grams of salt, 2 grams of MSG, 5 grams of white sugar, 5 grams of vinegar, 5 grams of garlic, 25 grams of salad oil, 10 grams of cilantro, 2 grams of pepper.
[Method] ① Rinse the masked palm civet thoroughly of blood water, cut into large pieces, blanch in a pot, and wash clean. ② In the pot, add ginger, scallion, and cooking wine, and simmer until 70% cooked. ③ Let cool, debone, and cut the meat into slices. ④ Cut the shiitake mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, and ham into slices and blanch in water for later use. ⑤ Place part of the shiitake mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, and ham at the bottom of the casserole, and arrange the other half with the masked palm civet in the casserole. ⑥ Place the pot on the heat, add a little oil, and stir-fry the doubanjiang, garlic, and ginger until the colour and flavour are released. ⑦ Add cooking wine, fresh soup, salt, MSG, white sugar, vinegar, and pepper, mix well, then strain out the solids. ⑧ Pour the gravy into the casserole, simmer over low heat until flavourful, and sprinkle with cilantro.
[Tips] ① When simmering the masked palm civet, it should not be too soft, otherwise it will not hold its shape. ② Serving the dish in casserole form preserves the original juice and flavour of the dish.
Steamed Cured Masked Palm Civet
[Ingredients] 2000 grams of masked palm civet meat, coarse salt, baijiu, white sugar, soy sauce, saltpetre.
[Method] ① Rub the masked palm civet meat all over with sugar and salt, marinate overnight, wash with clean water, air-dry, then mix the white sugar, baijiu, soy sauce, and saltpetre together with the meat, marinate for about 50 minutes, spread on a bamboo sieve, place in sunlight to dry, retrieve at night and roast over fire, then sun-dry again the next day. After about 4 consecutive days, cured masked palm civet meat is made. ② Wash the cured masked palm civet meat clean, place in a basin, steam in a steamer for about 50 minutes, remove after cooking, cut into slices, and arrange on a plate.
Stewed Masked Palm Civet with Red Dates
[Ingredients] 200 grams of masked palm civet meat, 15 red dates, MSG, salt, cooking wine, ginger slices, scallion segments, lard, meat broth.
[Method] ① Wash the masked palm civet meat clean, blanch thoroughly in a pot of boiling water, remove and slice; wash the red dates clean and remove the pits. ② Heat the pot and add a small amount of lard, stir-fry the scallion and ginger until fragrant, then add the masked palm civet meat and stir-fry until the water is dry, splash on cooking wine, add salt, MSG, date flesh, and broth, simmer over low heat until the meat is cooked and tender, pick out the scallion and ginger, and serve in a soup bowl.