Wineshark Cooking Class - Braised Sea Cucumbers with Beijing Scallions 蔥燒海參

Ingredients (for 4):

• Sea cucumber - 4
• Chicken stock - 125 ml
• Ginger juice - 1 tbsp
• Scallions - 2 
• Oyster sauce - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• White pepper powder - 1/8 tsp
• Corn starch - 1 tsp
• Sesame oil - 1 tsp

Procedures:

1. Heat a pot of water to boiling, then add the dried sea cucumber to cook for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover with lid to let it rest for 3 hours. Then soak in water and put in fridge for 24 hours, changing the water at least once in between.

2. Repeat the process once. Select the softer ones to cook for less time to ensure the right texture. Cut the bottom of the sea cucumbers.

3. Repeat the process, reduce the cooking time to 15 minutes and soak for half a day. When the sea cucumber has the right texture and softness, removes the sand and intestines. Clean thoroughly. If not ready, continue the boiling and soaking process until ready. 

4. Put the sea cucumber in a bowl, add in chicken stock and ginger juice.

5. Steam the sea cucumber for 15 minutes. 

6. Cut one of the scallion into sections of 5 cm. Keep for later use.

7. Cut the remaining scallions into sections of same length, then further cut in halves.

8. Heat the wok with 6 tbsp of oil, then add in the scallions. Fry until the flavours are extracted into the oil, then sieve to retain the oil and discard the scallions.

9. Heat up 3 tbsp of the scallion oil, then add the scallion sections to pan-fry until golden. Then remove.

10. Pour in the chicken stock and sea cucumber into the pot. Bring to boiling.

11. Season with oyster sauce, sugar, and white pepper powder. Cook for 5 minutes.

12. Add in the scallions, and then mix the corn starch with water and pour in to thicken the sauce. Turn off the heat and mix with sesame oil.

13. Serve by pour a tbsp of scallion oil on top.