Steamed Shark's Fin Bundles

Fish and Seafood

Steamed Shark's Fin Bundles
Ingredients:
1/4 pound dried shark's fin
1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine
2 slices fresh ginger, minced and mixed with two tablespoons of hot water
1 Tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
2 scallions, blanched for one minute
1 ounce Yunnan ham, cut into eight sticks
1 cup superior stock
8 pieces bamboo fungus, soaked in hot water for five minutes
1 cup slivered zucchini with peel left on, steamed for one minute
1 Tablespoon cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon of cold water
dash ground white pepper
Preparation:
1. In a bowl, steam over boiling water, the shark's fin, wine, fresh ginger water, bouillon, and one cup of water for forty minutes over boiling water. Remove, drain, and cool, then separate into needles, and set aside.
2. Cut scallions into eight pieces of green.
3. Divide shark’s fin needles into eight batches, put one ham strip in each and wrap each batch in the center with a scallion green.
4. Bring superior stock to the boil, and add bamboo fungus and simmer for two minutes. Drain and set aside. Reserve stock in the pot.
5. Add zucchini to the stock, and bring to the boil, then drain it. Add the cornstarch water to the pot, and stir until thickened.
6. Plate the zucchini in the center of a round plate. Alternate bamboo fungus and shark's fin bundles around the outside of this; and sprinkle the ground pepper all over it. Then pour the thickened stock over the entire plate, and serve.

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