Shark Fin Soup

Name: Shark Fin Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 20 g dried shark fin; 1 dried shiitake mushroom; 1 spring onion; 15 g fresh ginger; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 350 ml chicken stock; 15 g Jinhua ham; 40 g chicken breast; 25 g bamboo shoot; 30 g white crab meat; 1 egg white; 2 tsp cornflour; 1 tbsp cold water; 1 tsp groundnut oil; 1 tsp light soy sauce; ground white pepper; salt; 1 tsp Chinkiang vinegar

The banquet classic of southern Chinese kitchens: rehydrated fin strands steamed in a superior stock with Jinhua ham, then finished with shredded chicken, crab and egg-white ribbons in a lightly thickened broth. Served with a dish of Chinkiang vinegar.

Snacks Lunch & dinner 25g+ protein

120 min30 prep · 90 cookHard426 kcalper serving

Method

Put the 20 g of dried shark fin in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak overnight, at least 12 hours, changing the water two or three times. It is ready when it has swollen to two or three times its size and the needles separate into soft, translucent strands. At the same time, soak 1 dried shiitake in warm water for 30 minutes, then squeeze it dry, discard the stem and cut the cap into fine shreds.
Half-fill a small saucepan with water and add 0.5 spring onion cut into short lengths, 10 g of the ginger, sliced, and 2 tsp of the Shaoxing wine. Bring to the boil, slide in the drained fin and simmer very gently for 20 minutes to draw off any sea smell. Drain, rinse under cold running water and discard the aromatics.
Lay the fin in a heatproof bowl with 150 ml of the chicken stock, the 15 g of Jinhua ham cut into two thin slices, the remaining 5 g of ginger and the remaining 0.5 spring onion. Cover with a plate and steam over rapidly simmering water for 1 hour, until the strands are silky and slippery but still hold their shape. Lift out the fin, strain the steaming liquid and keep it; discard the ham and aromatics.