FESTIVE RED-COOKED ABALONES

From Y3K Recipes Issue no.10 - Jan/Feb 2003.
Copyright of Y Three K Publisher. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:
5 whole pieces canned abalones (do not open it)
10 pieces dried mushrooms (soaked)
10 plants Shanghai flat cabbages/ siew-pak-choy
500ml superior stock

Seasoning:
1 tbsp osyter sauce
3 tbsps Chinese cooking wine
2 tbsps fragrant oil (see tips page 19)
1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce

For thickening: mix well
1 tbsp tapioca flour
1 tbsp water

Method:
1. Put the whole can of abalones (pronounced as aba-loh-nees) into a steamer and double-boil it for 4 hours. Replenish water whenever necessary.
2. In a claypot, pour in superior stock, oyster sauce and wine. Add in abalones from no. (1). Be careful when you open up the can of abalones.
3. Place claypot into a wok and steam over high heat for 2 hours. Replenish water whenever necessary.
4. Carefully remove claypot and bring contents to a rolling boil. Add in dark soy sauce, fragrant oil, thicken gravy. Remove whole abalones. Place them in a deep plate. Add mushrooms into above stock to allow flavours to seep in. Remove mushrooms and arrange around abalones.
5. Blanch vegetables and surround the plate. Pour above sauce over dish.

Tips: To prepare superior stock, simmer 1 mother hen and 3 litres water for 3 hours, strain residue. Excess stock can be freezed.