Autumn Water Hibiscus
A renowned Fuzhou specialty in which loach is simmered to create a clear broth, then steamed with a delicate egg-white "hibiscus" foam. The loach is not visible in the finished dish, yet lends it a rich, savory flavor.
Ingredients
egg white (placed in a soup bowl, beaten)
6
refined salt
2.5 g
soaked shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
2
superior stock
500 g
loaches (cleaned, blanched in warm water with scallion whites and ginger slices, then removed)
500 g
scallion whites
1
mustard greens (sliced)
1
Shaoxing wine
50 g
ham (cut into 1.7 cm long, 1.3 cm wide slices)
15 g
MSG
3 g
tender ginger
1
Instructions
1
Steam the loaches
Clean the loaches, blanch them in warm water together with scallion whites and ginger slices, then remove (discard the scallions and ginger). Rinse the loaches twice with clean water, drain, place in a small bowl, add Shaoxing wine, superior stock, and 0.5 g of refined salt. Steam over high heat in a steamer until cooked, then remove. Pour out the loach soup and set aside (the loaches are for later use).
2
Steam the egg custard
Place the egg whites in a soup bowl and beat until frothy. Add half of the cooled loach soup, then mix in 0.5 g of refined salt and 0.5 g of MSG. Steam over medium heat in a steamer for 3 minutes, then remove to form the egg custard.
3
Prepare the side ingredients
Cut the ham into 1.7 cm long, 1.3 cm wide slices, slice the soaked shiitake mushrooms, and slice the mustard greens. Blanch all of them in a soup pot until cooked, then remove, drain, and arrange on top of the egg custard.
4
Pour the sauce
Bring the other half of the loach soup to a boil in a pot, add 1.5 g of refined salt and 2.5 g of MSG, stir to mix well, then pour over the egg custard to finish.
