Sea Cucumber and Abalone in Oyster Sauce

This dish is considered a delicacy all over Asia, due to the fact that they are very expensive and when done right melts in your mouth. Most Chinese New Year, wedding, birthday or important celebration is not really complete without this delicious dish. I've always anticipate every wedding banquet with glee, knowing that I will get to savor this yummy dish. When I say savor, I really meant it. This is one entrée that is rare and delicate and everyone will only get a piece each. And with each bite I often wish for more. Of course you have to grow up with the taste to truly appreciate it.

This is not a hard dish to make, but it required lot of preparation and timing. Most of the preparation is cleaning the abalone and sea cucumber and soaking the dried mushroom until nice and tender. If you’re using dried Abalone and dried sea cucumber you will need to soak in water and change water for a couple of days in advance. If you bought the can abalone and ready pack sea cucumber then it will save you a lot of time and headache.


Ingredients:

3 Small sea cucumbers sliced
4 Pieces abalones in can sliced (more tender then the dried one)
12 Pieces of dried Asian mushrooms
3 Pieces whole pieces of bamboo stalk sliced(can version)
6 Pieces of bak choi
2 Tbsp of oyster sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp of corn starch
4 Tbsp of water
½ Tsp of kosher salt
1 to 2 Table spoon of soy sauce
1 Tsp of minced ginger
1 Tsp of minced scallion
½ Tsp of dark soy sauce

Methods:

1. Soak the dried mushroom in warm water for at least 30 minutes.
2. Wash and cut the sea cucumbers and abalones, set aside.
3. Wash and prepared the bamboo slice into small pieces.
4. Soak the bak choi water to get all the dirt out, cut in half.
5. Heat the skillet until hot then add oil, then add the minced ginger and scallion until the lightly brown and it have a nice aroma.
6. Stir in the bamboo, mushroom and the oyster sauce, salt, soy sauce and dark soy sauce for about 5 minutes.
7. Add the sea cucumbers and the abalones and stir until fully cook about 10 minutes.
8. Lastly, mix the water and corn starch together and stir in with the rest of the ingredients until thicken, about 5 minute.
9. Remove from stove and serve.

Love this with hot steam rice!!