Shark's fin soup #1

Yield: 6 Servings

Measure Ingredient
½ pounds Dried shark's fin
1 cup White meat chicken
\N \N Cornstarch
¼ cup Smoked ham (up to)
2 \N Scallion stalks
6 cups Stock
½ teaspoon Salt

1. Soak and process shark's fin.

2. Shred chicken; then dredge lightly in cornstarch. Mince smoked ham and scallion stalks.

3. Bring stock to a boil. Add shark's fin and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.

Add chicken; simmer, covered, 10 minutes more.

4. Season with salt. Garnish with ham and scallion and serve.

NOTE: A rich clear stock should be used and the fins cooked until their gelatinous content dissolves partially, thickening the stock. The fins should be eaten when soft but still firm. VARIATIONS: 1. For the chicken, substitute any of the following: 1 cup crabmeat, picked over and flaked; or ½ cup chicken and ½ cup crabmeat; or 1 cup lobster meat.

2. In the variation above, also add ½ cup bamboo shoots, shredded; and 4 dried black mushrooms (soaked), shredded.

3. In step 3, before adding the shark's fin, add to the stock 1 tablespoon sherry, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 slice fresh ginger root, minced.

4. In step 3, add with the shark's fin ½ cup bamboo shoots and ¼ cup water chestnuts, both minced.

5. In step 4, after adding the salt, either stir in 1 to 2 egg whites, lightly beaten, until set; or thicken the soup with a cornstarch paste made of 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons sherry, ½ teaspoon soy sauce and 2 tablespoons cold water.

From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, ISBN 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, .

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