The Nature of A Master Piece

For years I have been consulting this recipe when I make Cantonese goat stew; i.e., I did not follow it to the letter. The reason for that is many of the ingredients are not readily available in my kitchen, or even in my local markets. This time though I made an effort to get all the ingredients: fresh beautiful winter bamboo shoots, sweet and crunchy fresh water chestnuts, and most of all fresh lime leaves. I have always enjoy my goat stews and have posted them here. Although I knew accuracy would make it better, I didn't expect the result. The recipe is from the late great Leung King (梁敬)--he who made Luk Yu Teahouse a culinary temple, the Hong Kong Jockey Club a culinary destination and is definitely the greatest chef in Hong Kong in the second half of the last century. When I finally tasted this, I was blown over--even from my untrained hands, the genius of the master showed itself. I can, through my imperfection, sense the greatness of the recipe, such richness, such complexity, such balance and such profound perfection that elevated even my hands a grade. Usually Hong Kong chefs tries to mask the 'lambiness', but Leung enhanced it. Fresh and cleanly sweet flavours like water chestnut and bamboo shoot are used to enhance the sweetness of the meat; the mushroom brings out the fragrance; the bean sauce accompanies the richness; and the lime leaves, which I have always left out, lift it all up. The flavour is honest; everything tasted like what it is and came together to make a transcending total. What I would give to recall exactly the flavour of the real thing from my childhood! At least I learnt the nature of a master piece is that nothing should be added or subtracted from it.

Ingredients:
1.5 kg of goat (preferably brisket) 70 gm bamboo shoot
20g shiitake mushroom 70 gm bean curd sticks (枝竹)
80 gm Chinese leeks 1/3 aged dried orange peel (陈皮)
70 gm waterchestnuts 100 gm sugar cane
3 lime leaves 40 gm grounded bean sauce (磨豉醬)
1 TB Shaoxing liquor 600 gm water
3-4 TB oil 80 gm fresh ginger
Parboil the goat in water for 10 minute and then cut into pieces.
Thoroughly soak the muchrooms and the bean curd sticks
Parboil the bamboo shoot and then lightly deep fry in oil
In a hot wok, add the oil, then the ginger, leeks and bean sauce for a few second before adding the goat. Sprinkle in the liquor and sautéed until lightly brown.
Add the goat and the rest of the ingredients in a clay pot, slowly stew for about an hour until tender. (Okay, I cooked it for half an hour in my pressure cooker.)
Remove the sugar cane and lime leaves; add oyster and salt to taste.
Mix together Cantonese preserved bean curd 腐乳, shredded lime leaves and hot chili pepper and a little of the sauce from the stew as a dipping sauce.