Asian•gourmet

Braised Sea Cucumber with Mushrooms

Ring in the Lunar New Year with Braised Sea Cucumber with Mushrooms! Cooked slowly, it's easy for a weeknight dinner yet impressive for a banquet!

Ingredients

Quantities are shown as originally provided.

1 kg / 2.2 lb sea cucumber ((we get it pre-cleaned from Chinese specialty dried good stores))
80 g / 0.18 lb dehydrated shiitake mushrooms
750 mL / 3 US cup water ((used to soak the mushrooms. Keep this water for braising))
350 g / 0.77 lb Chinese cabbage
30 g / 0.66 lb black moss ((rehydrated; we get it from Asian supermarkets))
4 cloves garlic ((lightly crushed))
4 tbsp cooking oil
6 tbsp oyster sauce ((or to taste))
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
1 tbsp sugar ((or to taste))
1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder

1
Soak then Chinese cabbage in cool salted water, then rinse and repeat 3 times until the impurities have been washed away. Let it dry while you use a small knife to gently scrape the sea cucumber under running cold tap water.
2
Cut the cabbage into 4cm (1.6") segments along its height.
3
Do the same with the sea cucumbers.
4
Lay the cabbage on the bottom of a large pot and add 2 US cup (470mL) mushroom water in. Let it simmer on a low-medium heat for 10 minutes.
5
Turn the heat up to high, then add the shiitake mushrooms, sea cucumbers and remaining mushroom water into the pot.
6
Season with the sugar, chicken bouillon powder and oyster sauce. Stir well and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
7
Meanwhile, heat up the oil on high and cook the garlic cloves for 20 seconds or until lightly brown.
8
Pour the cooked garlic, oil and Shaoxing rice wine into the pot and stir to combine.
9
Lay the black moss on top and cook on a low-medium heat for another 30 minutes or until everything is soft.
10
Serve immediately as is with rice!