Braised Mushrooms with Abalone
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I’m still on my Chinese New Year recipes posting spree with the holiday just peeping around the corner. Many people like to buy canned abalone during this season as it’s a sign of auspiciousness (“年年包有余”), and also because ’tis the season to indulge in luxurious food.
See Also: Pen Cai (盆菜) Recipe
You can see canned abalones flying off the shelves these few weeks and various promotions enticing shoppers to part with their money. A can of abalone (usually containing 1 1/2 abalone) can easily set one back by S$30 to S$80 (on average), depending on the grade and size of the abalone. This is a recipe for serving canned abalone in a simple braising sauce with simmered Chinese mushrooms.
In fact, I rationed a can of abalone to make 3 dishes (abalone chicken congee, fish maw soup and this dish) to stretch my dollar since I’m only cooking for two. This is so far my favourite way of using canned abalone. The individual plating (first photo) reminds me of the serving style at Chinese restaurants, while the communal plating (above) is more ideal for sharing among more people. The ones from restaurants are typically using dried abalone (serving one small whole abalone per plate) and take hours (possibly days) of simmering to cook the abalone until tender. My sliced abalone from the can is a cheap and short-cut way of recreating this expensive Chinese restaurant dish.
Braised Mushrooms with Abalone Recipe
You can serve this dish either individually (one plate per person), or communally (a big plate for everyone to share).
Ingredients:
- 8 dried Chinese mushrooms
- 200ml chicken stock
- 100ml abalone broth (from the can; if not using, substitute with more chicken stock)
- 400 ml hot water divided
- 4 large dried scallops
- 1 can abalone sliced thinly
- 250g shanghai green vegetables (or any green leafy vegetables of your choice)
- 1/4 tsp dark soy sauce
- 4 small cubes rock sugar
- cornstarch solution 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
Directions:
- Rinse Chinese mushrooms and soak them in 200 ml hot water until softened. Reserve water from soaking mushrooms. Remove mushroom stems, squeeze out the excess water in the mushroom caps and set aside.
- Rinse dried scallops then soak them in 200 ml hot water till softened. Reserve water for soaking the dried scallops.
- In a pot, add chicken stock, abalone broth, reserved water from soaking the dried mushroom and scallops, dried mushrooms and dried scallops. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 25 minutes. Any time the water runs out during simmering, you can add more broth or hot water, a little at a time.
- Add 1/4 tsp dark soy sauce (for the colour) and 4 small cubes of rock sugar (for the glaze). Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Thicken the remaining sauce with cornstarch solution until it reaches a slightly thick but still runny (like maple syrup) consistency.
- Blanch greens in boiling water with a bit of cooking oil added for about 10 seconds. Set aside.
Serving Suggestions
Individual Plate
On a small plate, add 1-2 whole blanched greens, 2 simmered mushrooms, one whole dried scallop and abalone slices. Pour the sauce over.
Communal Platter
Arrange sliced abalone one layer around serving plate. Add blanched greens in the center and top the greens with braised mushrooms and shredded scallops. Pour the sauce over.
Noob Cook Tips
- To use or not use the abalone broth (from the can)? Some people do not like to use abalone broth (the liquid used to soak the abalone) as they are worried about chemicals or preservatives. It’s up to you whether you want to use it or not. Personally, I use the broth in my cooking. I do not mind because I reckon since the abalone is already soaked in the broth, you are already consuming it one way or another. I usually mix it with some chicken broth (for soup base, steamboat or congee), and in this case, for braising the mushrooms.
- To cook or not to cook the abalone? Personally, I eat the abalone off the can while I’m slicing it. If you wish to eat it warm, just scald individual slices in hot water for less than 5 seconds. It tends to become tough and chewy from overcooking.