Master Stock

Ingrediants :-
3 litres (6 pints) water
250 ml (9 fl oz) light soy sauce
500 ml (16 fl oz) Shao Xing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
200 g (7 oz) yellow rock sugar
40 g (11⁄2 oz) fresh ginger
5 cloves garlic
3 cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
10 g (2 teaspoons) dried mandarin peel

Spices for bag
4 whole cloves
4 star anise
1 teaspoon sichuan pepper
1 teaspoon licorice root
1 teaspoon dried chilli
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Method :-
This Asian master stock is a key ingredient in my kitchen. Master stocks are essential for the red-braised dishes of China. The soy sauce gives a rich reddish-brown colour to any meat or poultry, while the Chinese wine, rock sugar and spices impart a unique flavour.

The master stock can be used over and over again and it will grow better and richer over time. However it is important to follow a few essential rules to prevent harmful bacteria growing. Only ever use a master stock to cook one type of meat – i.e. only chicken, or duck or pork. It is not a multi-purpose stock. After each use, bring the stock back to the boil, and then skim it and strain through a fine sieve into a clean sealable container. Allow it to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.
Place all of the spices into a piece of muslin cloth and tie into a bag. Put the spice bag along with all of the other ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 10 –15 minutes to allow the spices to infuse. Allow the stock to cool completely before pouring into a clean container. Leave the aromatics in the stock overnight to intensify the flavours. Refrigerate or freeze until needed.