Cloud-Sliced Pigeon Eggs
A steamed dish from the Manchu Han Imperial Feast. Pigeon eggs are steamed and arranged over a bed of three shredded vegetables, then finished with a thickened sauce.
Ingredients
pigeon eggs
12
soaked shiitake mushrooms (washed and shredded)
50 g
soaked bamboo shoots (washed and shredded)
50 g
soaked fish maw (shredded)
50 g
pea shoot leaves (washed)
25 g
minced cooked ham
2.5 g
cooking wine
10 g
fine salt
1.5 g
wet cornstarch
10 g
clear broth (used in two portions: 100 g + 150 g)
250 g
chicken fat (to grease the cups)
10 g
Instructions
1
Cut the three shreds
Wash the soaked shiitake mushrooms and soaked bamboo shoots, then shred them together with the ham into fine strips to make the "three shreds."
2
Braise the three shreds
Pour water into a pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the three shreds to blanch briefly and remove. In a separate pot, add 100 g of clear broth along with a small amount of cooking wine and fine salt, add the three shreds, braise over the heat for two minutes, then remove, drain off the broth, and arrange the shreds in a round plate.
3
Steam the pigeon eggs
Take 12 small bowl-shaped wine cups and grease the inside of each with a thin layer of chicken fat. Crack one pigeon egg into each cup (be careful not to break the yolk). Wash the pea shoots, place them on top of the pigeon eggs, then sprinkle with some minced ham. Steam over boiling water for about 5 minutes, remove, slice along the edge with a small knife, lift out the pigeon eggs, and arrange them neatly on top of the three shreds on the plate.
4
Pour the sauce
Pour the remaining 150 g of clear broth into a pot, add the remaining cooking wine and fine salt, and adjust the seasoning. Mix the cornstarch with a little water to thin it, pour it into the pot to thicken into a sauce, drizzle in some chicken fat, and pour the sauce over the dish to serve.
