Thickened Fish Maw-Scallop-Bean Curd Soup (花胶干贝豆腐羹)

Source: Good Food Fun Cook 餐餐宝, 餐餐好 Episode 4

Serves ~8 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:
Dried fish maws (花胶, can buy from Chinese Medicinal Hall), 2 taels (2 両, ~75.6g)
Dried scallops (干贝), each of ~size of S$0.20 coin, 10 pcs
Bean curd, cut into small pieces, 1 box
Young ginger, 1 slice
Spring onion,
Chicken stock,
Corn starch water, as soup thickener
Egg white, from 4 eggs

Garnish:
Red vinegar, 1 tsp per serving bowl
Spring onion



Method:
1. Prepare dried scallops.  Soak in water for 3hrs till soften.  Drain off water.  To drained scallops, add 4 tbsp chicken stock (or water) and 1 tsp oil, with a slice of young ginger and some spring onion, and steam for 45mins – 1hr.  The steaming process is to soften the texture and to improve flavour as chicken stock can be fully absorbed.  The use of spring onion and ginger will remove its original fishy odour and the oil will give a glossy look to scallops, hence improve the presentation of the final dish.

2. Prepare dried fish maw.  To soak in water for 4 days before use, and then cut into smaller pieces.

3. Parboil dried fish maw and bean curd in boiling water.  Dish out and set aside.

4. Boil chicken stock with parboiled fish maw and bean curd.  Add in the steamed scallops and its stock. When boil, add in corn starch water to thicken soup.  At desired consistency, turn off heat and stir in egg white.  Heat must be turned off when egg white is added, otherwise the texture of thickened soup will not be smooth.

Serving:

1. Transfer soup to serving bowl, top with chopped spring onion and 1 tsp red vinegar.