Plain Braised Shark Fin
Processed shark fin is slowly braised with hen and pork knuckle in a clay pot until tender, then the sauce is reduced and thickened with cornstarch.
Ingredients
Soaked whole shark fin (preferably Luzon yellow fin)
500g
Dressed hen (split open, de-gutted, washed clean)
1
Pig's trotter (cleaned and trimmed)
1
Chicken fat
a pinch
Ginger slices
to taste
Scallions
to taste
Salt
to taste
Yellow rice wine
to taste
Water chestnut starch (mixed with water for thickening)
to taste
Clear broth
1200g
Instructions
1
Prepare the shark fin
Place the whole shark fin into a pot of clear broth, add scallions, ginger, and yellow rice wine, and simmer three times. Remove the shark fin, squeeze out excess moisture to eliminate seafood odor.
2
Prepare the accompanying ingredients
Split the dressed hen open, remove the internal organs, and wash clean. Clean and trim the pig's trotter, then blanch both together in boiling water to remove blood impurities.
3
Braise and thicken the sauce
Use an earthenware pot, place a bamboo mat at the bottom, arrange the shark fin on the mat, cover the shark fin with the hen and trotter, add clear broth, then simmer over low heat until tender (approximately 3 hours). Remove the trotter and hen (discard these), pour the shark fin and its cooking liquid into another pot, and reduce the liquid until thickened. Mix salt with wet water chestnut starch, add to the pot to make a light thick sauce, drizzle with a small amount of chicken fat, and serve.
