Fish maw and crab meat soup
This is a good way of using up all that dried fish maw that found its way into your kitchen over the Chinese New Year.
Don't make the mistake I did last year, hoarding the dried fish maw because I couldn't bear to cook this premium item when it's not a special occasion.
Even if you keep the dried fish maw in the fridge, it can go rancid.
It is hard to tell how long you can keep it because if you buy fish maw from the provision shop, as I do, there is no expiry date on the packaging. So I play it safe by using the fish maw as soon as I can.
An easy and delicious way to use fish maw is to make fish maw soup.
It is not particularly tedious and is quite straightforward. But time and patience are crucial ingredients.
It is all in the stock. Get the stock right and you are all set.
INGREDIENTS
- 100g fish maw
- 1 large can of crab meat
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 5 dried scallops
- 1 piece of dried whelk
- 2 large pork bones
- 1 chicken carcass
- 4 litres of water
- 1 head of garlic
- 30g ginger
- 4 tbsp cornflour mixed with 4 tbsp of water
- 1 tbsp of Chinese wine or brandy
- 1 tsp light soya sauce
- 2 tsp salt
- Dash of pepper
METHOD
1. Blanch the pork bones and chicken carcass.
2. Boil the 4 litres of water in a pot. Add the ginger, garlic, pork bones, chicken carcass and dried whelk.
3. Boil on high heat for 30 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms. Lower the heat and continue to boil for another 30 minutes. Add the dried scallops and boil for another hour.
4. Strain the stock, reserving the mushrooms, scallops and liquid. Transfer stock to a pot and set aside.
5. Boil water in a separate pot. Add the fish maw and boil for five minutes. (A)
6. Remove the fish maw and rinse. Discard the water.
7. Cut the fish maw into bite-size pieces. (B)
8. Bring the stock to a boil. Add the fish maw. Bring it to a boil again.
9. Add the light soya sauce, salt, brandy, crab meat, mushrooms and scallops. Bring to a boil.
10. Stir in the cornflour mixture. (C)
11. Bring to a boil again. Serve hot with a dash of pepper.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
