Cooking Abalone - festive delicacy

According to Chinese beliefs, abalone symbolises assured abundance. Though canned and vacuum packed abalone are easily available from speciality grocery stores, uncooked chilled abalone tastes superb. If you have a few hours to spare, you are better off cooking abalone dish from scratch than to use precooked processed abalone which contain preservatives and not as yummy.

Preparation : wash away dirt on fresh abalone under running tap. Do not soak as it will dilute the taste of the shellfish.

In an airtight heavy steel pot, cook abalone whole in cool or lukewarm superior chicken stock, preferably homecooked or restaurant grade commercial packed ones. Ensure that the stock adequately covers the the abalone. Never cook abalone in boiling water as it will shrink and toughen the texture. Add dried scallops which have been washed and soaked for at least 2 hours (do not discard the water but add to the rest of the ingredients).

Add a stalk of shallot (white part only), garlic clove (with skin intact) and 2 slices of ginger.

Maintain an even temperature of soft boiling for the entire 3 hour cooking process. Alternatively, double boiling would take more 4 to 6 hours.

When ready, discard the spring onion, garlic and ginger. The soup can be presented as another course, separate from the main abalone dish.

To prepare the gravy, dissolve tapioca or corn starch in solution of water, oyster sauce, pepper and cooking wine (optional).

You may line the base of the serving plate with cut iceberg lettuce. Soft, slightly chewy, and extraordinary flavours!

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