4
4
intermediate
1h
7h
My pottery teacher gifted me a whole pumpkin from his garden, freshly cut from the vine, and I knew I had to make the pumpkin the star ingredient. This soup is made with a superior stock from pork bones and chicken feet, which gives the soup a lot of body. The use of dried scallops and mushrooms contribute umami, which makes the soup intensely savory. The pumpkin adds creaminess, sweetness, and gives the soup its lovely golden hue. Finally, fish maw and prawns give the soup a touch of elegance, resulting in a dish that is easy to make at home, but wouldn't feel out of place in a restaurant.
Ingredients
- 100 grams fish maw
- 60 grams ginger, divided
- 2 stalks spring onion
- 1 kilogram pork bones
- 1 kilogram whole chicken
- 1 kilogram chicken feet
- 3 litres water
- 4 spring onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 kilogram pumpkin
- 20 grams dried scallops
- 20 grams dried mushrooms
- 4 red dates
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 50 millilitres Shaoxing wine
- 50 millilitres + 1 teaspoon soy sauce, divided
- 200 grams prawns
- 0.5 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
Prepared Fish Maw
- 1
Add dried fish maw to a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak fish maw for 6 hours, changing the water every 2 hours.
- 2
Add the soaked fish maw, ginger and spring onion to a pot and cover with a fresh batch of water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then drain and discard the ginger.
- 3
Slice the fish maw into finger-width pieces and reserve for later.
- 100 grams fish maw
- 10 grams ginger
- 2 stalks spring onion
Superior Stock
- 1
Wash pork bones well. Add pork bones to a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then discard the water and wash the blanched pork bones and pot. This will reduce the impurities and help keep the stock clear.
- 2
Into the cleaned pot, add the blanched pork bones, whole chicken and chicken feet. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 4 hours, skimming any scum that rises occasionally. Top up water if the level drops too low. You're aiming to finish with 2 litres of stock.
- 3
After 4 hours, add ginger, spring onion, and garlic and simmer for 1 final hour.
- 4
Strain the stock into another pot and discard the solids.
- 1 kilogram pork bones
- 1 kilogram whole chicken
- 1 kilogram chicken feet
- 3 litres water
- 50 grams ginger
- 4 spring onions
- 4 cloves garlic
Pumpkin Soup Base
- 1
Peel and chop pumpkin into chunks.
- 2
Add the pumpkin to a pot and add enough Superior Stock to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.
- 3
Blend until smooth, then pass through a sieve for a silky texture.
- 1 kilogram pumpkin
- Superior Stock
Seasoned Soup Base
- 1
Soak dried scallops and dried mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Remove the rehydrated mushrooms and slice thinly, then return to the soaking liquid.
- 2
Into the pot with the Superior Stock, add the rehydrated scallops, mushrooms and the soaking liquid, red dates, white pepper, salt, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce.
- 3
Bring the pot to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Superior Stock
- 20 grams dried scallops
- 20 grams dried mushrooms
- 4 red dates
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 50 millilitres Shaoxing wine
- 50 millilitres soy sauce
Marinated Prawns
- 1
In a bowl, marinate prawns with salt, sugar, and soy sauce.
- 200 grams prawns
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
To Finish
- 1
Add the Pumpkin Soup Base to the pot with the Seasoned Soup Base and mix well. Bring the pot to a simmer over medium heat.
- 2
Add the Prepared Fish Maw and simmer for 10 minutes.
- 3
Add the Marinated Prawns and poach until they turn pink and are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
- Prepared Fish Maw
- Marinated Prawns