Fried Abalone with Quail Eggs
A Korean-style dish featuring abalone and pigeon eggs. The ingredients are first boiled, then fried until golden—crispy on the outside and tender within. Served with sesame salt and chili sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
Abalone meat (washed, fringed edges removed, scored in a crosshatch pattern on both sides; large ones split in half lengthwise, small ones kept whole)
400 g
Quail eggs (washed, hard-boiled in plain water, soaked in cold water, then peeled)
15
Chicken broth (for cooking the abalone)
1 kg
Egg whites (mixed with cornstarch to make an egg white batter)
4
Salt
10 g
Cooking wine
25 g
Cornstarch (for coating the abalone and quail eggs)
25 g
Peanut oil (for deep-frying; 75 g actually used)
500 g (75 g used)
Sesame salt
25 g
Chili sauce
10 g
Instructions
1
Prepare the abalone
Wash the abalone, tear away any ragged fringes, and score both sides in a crosshatch pattern. Cut the large ones in half lengthwise; leave the small ones whole.
2
Prepare the quail eggs
Wash the quail eggs, hard-boil them in plain water, soak them in cold water, peel off the shells, place them on a plate, and coat them evenly with salt to season.
3
Make the egg white batter
Mix the egg whites with cornstarch to make a smooth egg white batter.
4
Blanch the abalone
Pour the chicken broth into a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the abalone and gently simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes until just cooked through. Remove the abalone, drain off the liquid, and place it on a plate, ready for frying.
5
Fry the abalone
Heat the peanut oil in a wok to about 60–70% hot. First dust the abalone evenly with cornstarch, then coat it with the egg white batter. Deep-fry until golden, remove, drain the oil, and arrange on a large round plate.
6
Fry the quail eggs
Heat the oil to about 80% hot. Coat the quail eggs with cornstarch and drop them into the oil. Deep-fry until golden, remove, drain, and arrange them around the fried abalone on the plate.
7
Serve
Serve with small side dishes of sesame salt and chili sauce for dipping.
