Scallop Mousse with Bird's Nest
A traditional Korean specialty made with dried bird's nest and dried scallops. Features tender, white shredded scallop in a clear, flavorful, and nutrient-rich broth.
Ingredients
Dried bird's nest (soaked in warm water for 2 hours, drained, feathers picked clean with pointed tweezers, rinsed twice with cold water, and drained)
25 g
Chicken broth
1.5 kg
Dried scallops (tendons removed, washed, pounded into a fine paste with the back of a knife)
100 g
Egg whites
3
Lean ham (cut into thin strips)
15 g
Sugar
10 g
Salt
10 g
Cornstarch slurry
15 g
Cooking wine
15 g
MSG
2 g
Sesame oil
10 g
Roasted sesame seeds
15 g
Instructions
1
Step 1
Soak the dried bird's nest in warm water for 2 hours, then drain. Use pointed tweezers to remove any feathers, rinse twice with cold water, and drain thoroughly.
2
Step 2
Remove the tendons from the dried scallops, wash them, and pound into a fine paste using the back of a knife. Cut the ham into thin strips.
3
Step 3
Mix the pounded scallop paste with a small amount of cold chicken broth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, then add 3 egg whites along with a little cooking wine and salt. Stir in one direction until the mixture becomes stiff, forming the scallop mousse.
4
Step 4
Pour 250 ml of chicken broth into a pot and add a little cooking wine, salt, and MSG. Add the cleaned bird's nest and simmer over low heat for 4-5 minutes until tender and well seasoned, then remove and gently squeeze out the excess broth.
5
Step 5
Bring water to a boil over a low flame. Coat each strand of bird's nest with the scallop mousse using chopsticks, then blanch in the boiling water until cooked through. Remove, place in a large soup bowl, and pour warm chicken broth over to soak.
6
Step 6
Divide the prepared bird's nest into individual small soup bowls. Bring the prepared clear broth to a boil, drizzle with sesame oil, and garnish with 3 strips of ham and the roasted sesame seeds. Serve.
