“It is important to present extremely high quality seafoods, such as Abolone,” says Ken Tam of Lai Wah Heen, “to recognize and celebrate the year that has gone by.” To that end, he has provided this luxurious entrée with abalone at its centre.
Ingredients:
• Dried abalone – 10 pieces (16 heads per catty)
• Baby bok choy – 1 kg
• Lean spare pork ribs – 450 grams
• Yunnam ham hock – 450 grams
• Chicken breast – 250 grams
• Chicken feet – 4 pairs
• Ginger – 4 slices
• Scallion – 2 pieces
• Dried tangerine peel – 1 piece
• Crystal rock sugar – 1 Tablespoon
• Dried scallops – 100 grams
• Light chicken stock – 500 ml
• Cooking oil – 2 tablespoons
Seasoning A:
• Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
• Chicken base powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Dark soy sauce – 1 teaspoon
• Chinese Shao Hsing wine – 1 tablespoon
• Dried tangerine peel – 1 piece
Seasoning B:
• Sugar – 1 teaspoon
• Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
• Chicken Base Powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Dark soy sauce – 1 teaspoon
• Chinese Shao Hsing wine – 1 tablespoon
• Oyster sauce – 2 tablespoons
• Liquid from cooked abalone – 2 tablespoons
• Seasame oil – 1 teaspoon
• Dash of white pepper
Thickening:
• Corn flour – 1 tablespoon
• Water – 1 tablespoon
Equipment:
• Pot
• Wok
• Saucepan
Preparation and Cooking:
Soak the dried abalones in cold water for 6 hours.
Drain and cover them with boiling water. Simmer them for approximately 4 hours, then drain water.
Once dried, scrub the abalones with a soft brush to clean them thoroughly.
Place back the abalones inside the cooking pot, cover them with more boiling water and add pork, ginger, scallion, chicken, dried scallops and “Seasoning A”.
Cover the pot and bring back to a boil
Reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 6 hours until abalones are tender, adding more water as needed to keep the abalones just immersed.
Remove the abalones from the pot and drain thoroughly
Trim off the uneven edges
Discard the pork, ginger, chicken, scallion and tangerine peel.
Trim the baby bok choy and bring it to a boil, discarding the leaves and keeping only about 5-6 cm of the stems.
Heat the wok, add cooking oil and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 1 minute. Drain and arrange around the rim of a serving plate. Keep warm.
Add the abalones to the saucepan with the “Seasoning B” ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the thickening mix and stir until the sauce thickens and becomes clear.
Arrange the abalone on the serving plate and pour the sauce on top.
