Beggar’s Pig Trotter

(From Y3K Recipes Issue No.5 – March/ April 2002)
Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:
1 pig’s trotter (request butcher to debone it)
20 pips toasted garlic (leave skin on)

Seasoning:
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp superior quality dark soy sauce

Chinese Herbs:
4 pieces Dang Sheng
4 slices Dang Gui Tou
10 red dates (soaked, pitted)
1 tbsp Qi Zi (soaked)
4 pieces Huai Shan
5 pieces Bei Qi

For Wrapping:
1 piece cling film
2 pieces grease-proof paper
1 raffia string
Clay (stiff tenacious soil)

Method:
1. Clean trotter. Blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes to remove unpleasant smell. Remove and keep aside.
2. Rub the trotter with seasoning.
3. Clean Chinese herbs and stuff into the trotter.
4. Wrap with cling film. Follow by a layer of grease-proof paper. Tie with raffia string.
5. Mix water with yellow soil to form clay.
6. Spread out a piece of grease-proof paper on the floor. Apply a layer of clay. Place (4) onto it. Cover with clay and wrap up.
7. Bury the trotter into the hot ash for 4 hours.
8. Unwrap and knock off the crust. Serve hot.

Remarks: For homemakers to prepare this recipe, substitute the wrapping ingredients with aluminium foil. Bake in oven at 180 degrees celsius for one and a half hours. However, the taste will be different from the original recipe.