Braised Sea Cucumber, Fish Maw and Chinese/Japanese Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Dry Sea Cucumber
Dry Fish Maw
Dry Chinese/Japanese Mushrooms
Ginger, Spring Onion, Garlic
Chicken Stock, Oyster Sauce, dark and light soy sauce, raw sugar, sesame oil.


How to Braise Sea Cucumber:
1. Rinse the sea cucumber clean under the tap.

2. Soak them in a pot of clean water overnite (at least 12 hours)

3. Boil a pot of water, put the soaked sea cucumber inside and cook for 15 mins covered. Once time is up, just switch off heat and keep the pot covered until water inside becomes cool. In winter times, this maybe around 3-4 hours. In summer time, this may take 5-6 hours. Test with your finger! :)

4. Pour away water inside pot. Add new water. Reboil the water with the sea cucumber for 15 minutes covered. Once time is up, switch off heat and keep the pot covered until water becomes cool.

5. Drain all water, rinse the sea cucumber, then clean the intestines. Principle is the inside surface of the sea cucumber shall be free of any black stuff and 
smooth.

6. Last step: boil a pot of water with sliced ginger and spring onion, then add the cleaned sea cucumber and boil for 15 mins covered. Once time is up, switch off heat and keep covered until water becomes cool.

7. Remove sea cucumber for water, dry them with a clean cloth and pack them in zip-lock bag and store at fridge when you are cooking in the next day or so. Or keep them in freezer.

How to Braise Fish Maw:
-> this really depends on which type of fish maw you are buying. Assuming the regular ones for braising and soup, then here's my method:

1. Rinse the fish maw clean under the tap.

2. Soak the fish maw in a pot of water overnight.

3. Boil a pot of water with sliced ginger and spring onion, then add the fish maw and cook for 10 minutes. When time is up, switch off heat and keep covered under water becomes cool.

4. Drain all water and the ginger and spring onion. Add new clean water and soak the fish maw for another 5-6 hours.

5. Remove fish maw and dry them with a clean cloth and pack them in zip-lock bag and store at fridge when you are cooking in the next day or so. Or keep them in freezer.

How to Braise dry Chinese or Japanese Mushrooms:
1. Rinse them clean under tap.

2. Soak them in a pot of water and add a small dish on top, so as to press down the mushrooms under the water.

3. Change water for around 2-3 times until you can feel the mushrooms have became soft.

4. Then remove all water, wash the softened mushrooms with some corn flour under tap. Then wipe them dry with a clean cloth. Pack them in zip-lock bag an store at fridge if you are cooking in the next day or so. or keep them in freezer.

How to Cook:

1. Cut up the mushrooms and fish maw in a size which you desire. Sea cucumber can be cooked in whole piece or cut up to a size you like.

2. Heat up a wok, add oil an stir fried the slice ginger, pressed garlic and spring onion until wok is fragrant.

3. Add the mushrooms to the wok, mix them well with the ginger etc, then add sufficient chicken stock to keep the mushrooms underneath stock, add oyster sauce, soy sauce etc. Check tasting, once boiled, turn down to medium heat and cook for 30 minutes.

4. Add fish maw to the pot. If chicken stock and sauce not sufficient to keep the ingredients under sauce, add chicken stock and other seasonings. Cook for another 10-15 minutes under medium heat.

5. Add sea cucumber to the pot and cook for another 10-15 mins. Like above, you need to see if the stock/sauce is sufficient to keep all ingredients submerged. If not, adjust yourself. Check tasting from time to time. 

6. Lastly, add cornflour solution to the pot to thicken sauce. Add your favourite vegetables to the dish!

Enjoy!

P.S. in addition to using chicken stock, you can use abalone sauce, etc. Or add braised abalone to the dish.