Imitation Shark Fin Soup

Soups and Congees

Imitation Shark Fin Soup
Ingredients:
1 sea cucumber, soaked overnight until very soft, remove
and discard its intestines, thin slice it, and cut each slice
in half, then set this aside
3 Chinese black mushrooms, soaked an hour, stems
discarded, caps sliced
1 cooked chicken leg, bone discarded, slivered
½ cup fresh shrimp, veins and shells discarded, each cut
in small pieces, and blanched for one minute
2 Tablespoons Chinese rice wine
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided in half
10 slices fresh ginger, divided into two batches
4 scallions, angle-sliced, divided into two batches
1 heaping teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup shredded bok cai or Chinese cabbage
½ cup imitation shark fin, soaked for two hours, drained,
cut in one-inch pieces, and blanched for one minute
2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with same amount of
cold water
1 Tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
1 Tablespoon Chinese sesame oil
2 sprigs cilantro, coarsely chopped

Preparation:
1. Prepare sea cucumber, mushrooms, chicken, and shrimp, toss them together, microwave them for four minutes, then set them aside after mixing with wine and cooled.
2. Heat wok or fry pan, add half the oil and stir-fry half the ginger and half the scallions for one minute, toss with the bouillon powder, sugar, and the broth, toss in the bok cai, and set aside. When cool, add the sea cucumber mixture.
3. Reheat wok or fry-pan, add the other half of the oil, ginger, and scallion pieces, and when this boils, add the sugar and the artificial sharks fin pieces, and toss for one minute.
4. Next, mix this with the sea cucumber mixture and the shark fin mixture and stir-fry for two minutes then add the cornstarch mixture and bring to the boil. Add the vinegar and the sesame oil, and when thickened, pour into a large pre-heated soup bowl, sprinkle with the cilantro, and serve.

Flavor and Fortune is a magazine of: