Braised Abalone with Rice Wine, served with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Everyone loves a good abalone during CNY! And in many reunion table feasts, abalone is a must-have and often the star of the table because it resembles a gold ingot! Doesn't it look like it? For this Chinese New Year, we have our version of Braised Abalone with Rice Wine. 

Ingredients

• Abalone
• Cooking oil: As needed
• Ginger: 1-inch piece, thinly sliced
• Scallions: White parts of 2–3 stalks
• Garlic: 3 small-to-medium cloves, peeled
• Shiitake mushrooms: 40 g. You need to soak your shiitake mushroom so it is soft. If you're in a rush, you can soak with hot water. 
• Ye Traditions Yellow Rice Wine: 100ml
• Asparagus: 280 g, trimmed and cut into similar-sized pieces (But you can also use other vegetables such as broccoli)
• Oyster sauce: 1 ½ tablespoons
• Cornstarch: 2–3 teaspoons
• Water: 2–3 teaspoons

 

Instructions

1. Prepare the Abalones

• Boil the Abalones together in the can it comes in.

2. Prepare the sauce

• Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add enough cooking oil to lightly coat the bottom.
• Add ginger slices, white parts of scallions and garlic and cook until fragrant 
• Add the broth from the abalone's can

3. Gently Braise the Abalones for 5-10 mins

• Add shiitake mushrooms, salt, and Ye Traditions Yellow Rice Wine.
• Add in the Abalone and bring to a boil and skim off any foam.
• Braise the Abalone for a limited time so it can absorb the flavour and then remove the Abalone to avoid shrinking it

4. Prepare the Sauce

• Remove and discard ginger, garlic, and scallion whites. Take out the abalones and mushrooms, setting them aside.
• Simmer the braising liquid until reduced it down. 
• Stir in the oyster sauce and adjust seasonings to taste.
• Mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry. Gradually stir the slurry into the sauce until thickened to your liking.

5. Blanch the Asparagus

• Boil a large pot of water. Add asparagus and blanch for 1–2 minutes until crisp-tender.
• Immediately transfer broccoli to a bowl of room-temperature water to stop cooking. Remove and drain well. 

6. Assemble and Serve

• Thinly slice the abalones and, optionally, the mushrooms. Arrange them on top of the asparagus.
• Generously pour the sauce over everything.
• Serve immediately.

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