Scallion Sea Cucumber
A classic of Shandong cuisine, braising sea cucumber together with scallions. The finished dish has a glossy reddish-brown color, an abundant scallion aroma, and a rich, concentrated glaze.
Ingredients
Rehydrated sea cucumber (cut into 1.7 cm thick, 3 cm long, 2.5 cm wide slices)
250 g
Zhangqiu scallion whites (split in half, cut into 4 cm long sections)
50 g
Refined salt
3 g
Soy sauce
6 g
Sugar
20 g
Shaoxing wine
6 g
Wet cornstarch (for thickening)
to taste
Lard (for frying scallions)
150 g
Stock (for braising sea cucumber)
to taste
Sichuan pepper water (to remove fishy smell)
to taste
Smashed ginger
to taste
Instructions
1
Preparing the sea cucumber
Cut the sea cucumber into slices 1.7 cm thick, 3 cm long, and 2.5 cm wide. Blanch in boiling water, then remove and drain thoroughly.
2
Preparing scallions and ginger
Split the scallion whites in half and cut into 4 cm long sections. Smash the ginger.
3
First braise
Add stock, scallion sections, ginger, salt, Shaoxing wine, Sichuan pepper water, and sea cucumber to a wok. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 2 minutes. Pour into a colander to drain, and discard the scallions and ginger.
4
Frying scallion oil
Add lard to the wok and heat over medium heat to about 60% hot (approximately 132°C). Add the scallion sections and fry until golden brown, then remove. Pour the scallion oil into a bowl and set aside.
5
Second braise
Add a small amount of oil to the wok. Add the fried scallion sections, salt, sea cucumber, stock, soy sauce, sugar, and Shaoxing wine. Once boiling, thicken with wet cornstarch, then continue cooking over medium heat until the sauce is reduced. Drizzle with the scallion oil, add MSG, and serve on a plate.
