Chinese Master Stock (Chinese: 滷水汁)

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup Shaoxing wine
• 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• Half stick Brown sugar in pieces (Chinese: 冰片糖) ((substitute with 1 tablespoon sugar))
• A few drops sesame oil
• 4 star anise (Chinese: 八角)
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 dried red chili or 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn (Chinese: 花椒)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed (, ground)
• 2 dried black cardamom pod (, cracked (Optional))
• 1 piece chenpi (Chinese: 陳皮) ((Optional))

Instructions

1. 1

   Release Aroma: First crack the dried black cardamom pods with your knife. Then, place all the spices into the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and heat them up (Instant Pot: press Sauté button). The spices will slowly release their aroma.

2. 2

   Vaporize Alcohol: Once the pressure cooker is hot, pour in the Shaoxing wine and boil off the alcohol.

3. 3

   Pressure Cook Master Stock: Pour the remaining ingredients into the pressure cooker. Close lid and cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes, then 10 minutes Natural Release. Taste and add salt to your master stock. Now you can start cooking with the master stock!