Hong Kong Style Fish Maw Soup
A luxurious and nourishing soup, fish maw soup is a delicacy in Cantonese cuisine, prized for its rich texture and perceived health benefits, particularly for skin and joints due to its collagen content. This version is often enhanced with other premium ingredients like dried scallops and crab meat.
🧂 Ingredients
- 40 g Dried fish maw(soaked until soft, then cut into pieces)
- 40 g Dried scallops(steamed until soft, shredded, reserve liquid)
- 4 pieces Dried shiitake mushrooms(soaked until soft, sliced)
- 250 g Frozen crab meat(thawed)
- 1.5 litre Water
- 1 tbsp Concentrated chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce(or to taste)
- 0.5 tsp Salt(or to taste)
- 0.5 tsp Sugar(or to taste)
- 5 tbsp Cornstarch(mixed with 3/4 cup water for slurry)
- 1 large Egg white(lightly beaten)
- 1 tsp Chinese cooking wine
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the fish maw: Soak dried fish maw in hot water until soft (about 2 hours), then cut into small pieces. Steam dried scallops until soft, shred them, and reserve the steaming liquid. Soak dried shiitake mushrooms until soft, squeeze dry, and slice thinly.
- 2
Blanch the ingredients: Briefly blanch the thawed crab meat in boiling water. Then, blanch the sliced shiitake mushrooms and the prepared fish maw in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- 3
Prepare the broth: In a pot, combine water, reserved scallop liquid, shredded scallops, and concentrated chicken stock. Bring to a boil.
- 4
Add the blanched crab meat, mushrooms, and fish maw to the boiling broth. Season with light soy sauce, salt, and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- 5
Bring the soup back to a boil. Lower the heat and gradually stir in the cornstarch slurry until the soup thickens to your desired consistency. Bring to a boil again.
- 6
Turn off the heat. Slowly pour in the lightly beaten egg white while stirring constantly to create ribbons. Stir in the Chinese cooking wine and drizzle with sesame oil just before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soaking the fish maw properly is crucial to remove any fishy odor and achieve a pleasant texture.
- ✓Don't overcook the fish maw, as it can become too soft and lose its texture.
- ✓Adjust the seasoning carefully, as chicken stock and soy sauce can vary in saltiness.
🔄 Variations
- Add other ingredients like shredded chicken, sea cucumber, or goji berries for added flavor and nutrition.
- Some recipes use a combination of chicken and pork bone broth for a richer base.