Spicy Boiled Fish
Fish poached in a fiery, numbing broth.
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Spicy River Snails with Perilla
River snails purged, blanched and braised in a chilli bean-paste sauce with pork mince and fresh perilla. Adapted from the original ClouChef R&D report — 油酱田螺, report 170.
Original poster image from clouchef.com (poster: 油酱田螺_170.jpeg). This is the hero poster only, not a step-by-step photo set.
Prep: 40 minutesCook: 15 minutesTotal: 55 minutesServings: 1–2Difficulty: MediumRegion: JiangnanFlavour: Spicy-savoury
Home adaptation note: The report is one portion (500 g snails in shell, about 350 g finished). Quantities below are that portion. The 30-minute purge can be done ahead; the report's total of 25 minutes covers only cooking after purging, so the honest total here is longer.
Why this works
Snails reward a cook who does the unglamorous steps first. They are purged for at least thirty minutes in water with a few drops of sesame oil and a spoonful of salt, with the water changed twice, because any grit left inside will ruin the dish no matter how good the sauce is. They are then blanched for two minutes — longer and the meat turns rubbery — before they ever meet the sauce. The sauce itself is built in layers: pork mince fried until it just colours, then ginger, garlic, dried chilli and bean paste fried gently until the red oil separates, then the snails tossed on high heat, then a covered braise of eight minutes that lets the sauce penetrate the shells. Perilla goes in only in the last thirty seconds, so it stays green and fragrant instead of blackening. The report's safety rule is strict: everything, including the perilla, must be heated through, with the braise holding at least eighty-five degrees.
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Ingredients
| Ingredient | US | Metric | Substitute / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live river snails, in shell | 1.1 lb | 500 g | Buy live from a trusted fishmonger; discard any with cracked shells or that do not close. |
| Pork mince (belly) | 1.8 oz | 50 g | — |
| Fresh perilla leaves | 0.7 oz (about 5 leaves) | 20 g | Cut into wide shreds; add in the last 30 seconds only. |
| Ginger, minced | 0.35 oz | 10 g | — |
| Garlic, minced | 0.35 oz | 10 g | — |
| Dried chillies, cut into sections | 0.2 oz | 5 g | — |
| Pixian doubanjiang (chilli bean paste) | 2 tbsp | 30 g | — |
| Shaoxing wine, divided | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp | 20 ml | 10 ml for blanching, 10 ml for the wok. |
| Sugar | 2 tsp | 10 g | — |
| Light soy sauce | 1 tbsp | 15 ml | — |
| Neutral cooking oil | 2 tbsp | 30 ml | — |
| Water | 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp | 200 ml | For the braise. |
| Sesame oil and salt (for purging) | 2 drops + 1 tsp | 2 drops + 1 tsp | Purging aids, not part of the sauce. |
| Coriander or white sesame (garnish) | To garnish | To garnish | Optional, from the report. |
Equipment
- Large bowl for purging
- Wok or large skillet — no wok required (adaptation)
- Tongs or a large spoon for turning snails
Steps
- Purge the snails. Cover the live snails with water, add 2 drops of sesame oil and a small spoonful of salt, and rest at least 30 minutes, changing the water twice.
- Blanch. Boil the snails with 10 ml wine for 2 minutes, no longer, then drain.
- Fry the base. Heat the oil and fry the pork mince on medium heat until lightly coloured and its fat renders, about 1 minute. Add ginger, garlic, dried chilli and bean paste and fry on low heat until the red oil separates, about 1 minute 30 seconds.
- Toss and braise. Turn to high heat, add the snails and toss 2 minutes, splashing in the remaining 10 ml wine. Add water, soy sauce and sugar, bring to a boil, then cover and braise on medium-low heat 8 minutes.
- Finish. Uncover, reduce on high heat about 30 seconds until the sauce is thick, then add the perilla shreds, toss to combine, and serve at once.
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Technique: Purge, blanch, then braise
Two minutes of blanching is a ceiling, not a target to exceed: over-blanched snail meat turns to rubber and never recovers. The eight-minute braise is what actually flavours the snails; the high-heat toss before it only coats them.
Variations
- Milder: Halve the dried chilli and bean paste; the dish stays savoury but loses its street-stall heat.
- No pork: Omit the mince and start with the aromatics in oil (adaptation); the sauce will be thinner but still works.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my snails gritty?
The purge was too short or the water was not changed. Give the full 30 minutes with two water changes.
Why is the meat rubbery?
Blanching ran past two minutes, or the braise ran long. Both steps have ceilings in the report; respect them.
Are river snails safe to eat?
Only when fully heated through. The report requires the braise to hold at least 85 °C for 8 minutes and every ingredient, including perilla, to be heated. Never serve them raw or undercooked.
Storage
Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep 1 day refrigerated; reheat to a full boil. Discard any snails that smell off, and do not keep cooked snails at room temperature.
Spicy River Snails with Perilla — Recipe Card
River snails braised in a spicy bean-paste sauce with pork mince and perilla.
Prep: 40 minutesCook: 15 minutesTotal: 55 minutesServings: 1–2
Ingredients: 500 g river snails; 50 g pork mince; 20 g perilla; 10 g ginger; 10 g garlic; 5 g dried chilli; 30 g doubanjiang; 20 ml wine; 10 g sugar; 15 ml light soy; 30 ml oil; 200 ml water.
Steps: 1) Purge snails 30 minutes, changing water twice. 2) Blanch 2 minutes. 3) Fry mince, then aromatics and bean paste until red oil separates. 4) Toss snails, braise covered 8 minutes. 5) Reduce, add perilla last, serve.
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Source note: ingredients, quantities and steps are adapted from the original ClouChef R&D report for 油酱田螺 (data/reports/170.md). The report's pricing, margin and marketing sections are deliberately omitted here; no B2B cost is presented as a home-cook cost. The honest total time includes the 30-minute purge, which the report's 25-minute figure excludes.