How to season and prepare a delicious shepherd's purse filling

　　The general methods for making delicious shepherd's purse stuffing include preserving the freshness of the shepherd's purse, pairing it with quality meat, adding eggs, including tofu, and seasoning with sesame oil and Sichuan pepper oil.

　　1. Preserve the freshness of the shepherd's purse: First, wash the shepherd's purse, blanch it in boiling water, then cool it quickly in cold water, drain well, and chop finely. This process removes the raw, grassy taste while preserving its freshness, laying the foundation for a delicious stuffing.

　　2. Pair with quality meat: Choose marbled pork with an appropriate fat-to-lean ratio and mince it. The fat from the pork helps keep the shepherd's purse moist and prevents it from becoming dry. Mix the meat mince and chopped shepherd's purse in a 1:2 ratio, and add chopped scallions and ginger, salt, light soy sauce, cooking wine, and other seasonings. Stir well until fully combined for a rich and aromatic flavor.

　　3. Add eggs: On the basis of the shepherd's purse and meat mixture, add an appropriate amount of cooked and chopped eggs. Eggs enhance the viscosity and aroma of the stuffing, enrich the texture, and also improve the nutritional value of the stuffing.

　　4. Add tofu: Cut firm tofu into small cubes, soak in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes, drain well, and then add it to the shepherd's purse stuffing. The tofu makes the stuffing smoother and tender, with a unique bean fragrance that complements the shepherd's purse perfectly.

　　5. Use sesame oil and Sichuan pepper oil: Add a few drops of sesame oil and Sichuan pepper oil to the prepared shepherd's purse stuffing. Sesame oil enhances the aroma, while Sichuan pepper oil adds a unique numbing fragrance that stimulates the taste buds, making the flavor of the stuffing even richer and more enticing.

　　After blanching, shepherd's purse must be thoroughly drained of moisture; otherwise, the stuffing will be too wet. The prepared shepherd's purse stuffing should be used promptly to make dumplings or other flour-based dishes to avoid moisture loss from prolonged storage, which can affect the texture.