My Mind Patch: Abalone Hot and Sour Soup

Abalones have become one of the must-have items during the Chinese New Year here in Singapore. However, I am weak in cutting and cooking the standard size abalone to a right texture and present it in good shape 😞

I was happy to have found this small can of abalones which served in oyster sauce broth. Each can of abalone holds 4 small abalones which are just nice for my family of 4. As the abalones were small, I can serve them in one whole piece without having to slice them. This was so convenient 😃😃

Each can contains 4 small abalones, drained weight 40g,
Whole can weighs 180g

During Chinese New Year period, we are often filled our stomachs with "tons" of meats. Therefore, a small serving of hot and sour soup topped with a small abalones give us a chance to have something light amidst the many heavy dishes. Furthermore, the vinegar in the soup may help in digesting the heavy meals 🍗🍖🍪🍤🍢🍰😍

Ingredients

1 can abalones in oyster sauce broth

30g carrot, julienned and/or cut into flower shape

50g fresh black fungus, julienned

20g fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

150g tofu, julienned or diced

10g sweet potato noodle/mung bean noodle

50g bacon bits/minced meat

1g ginger, chopped

10g spring onions, cut into short length

8g coriander leaves, cut into short length

400g water

broth from canned abalones

11g potato starch as thickener

25g water, to mix with potato starch

22g black vinegar

salt and mushroom powder/chicken stock powder

2g pepper powder

Directions

1. Cut tofu into thin strips or into cubes. Set aside in a small bowl.

2. Chop ginger into fine bits.

Cut spring onion into short length.

Cut part of the carrot into flower shape, optional. And the remaining carrot into thin strips.

Cut fresh black fungus and fresh shiitake mushrooms into thin strips. Set aside.

3. Thaw bacon bits in a small saucer. Set aside.

4. Soak sweet potato noodle in hot water till softened. Cut into short length. Set aside.

5. Add a small amount of vegetable oil in a pot at medium temperature. When the oil is hot, stir in spring onion and ginger, till fragrant.

6. Add in bacon bits, and stir fry till fragrant.

7. Stir in shiitake mushrooms, carrot and black fungus separately. Stir fry briefly.

8. Add in 400g of water and bring to a light boil.

9. While waiting for the content to boil, open a can of abalones, and transfer the 4 small abalones to a plate. Keep the broth in the can.

10. When the content starts to boil, add in the sweet potato noodle,

pour in the broth from the can in Step 9,

and 22g of black vinegar.

11. When the content starts to boil again, add in the tofu. Do not stir the soup too often as this may break the tofu.

12. When the content boils again, add salt and mushroom powder or your preferred seasoning powder to taste.

13. Stir in the potato starch water till the soup has thickened.

14. Add pepper powder just before serving to keep the taste in.

15. Finally, turn off the heating, and rest the abalones near the surface of the hot soup to warm them up. Do not boil the abalones as they will become very chewy.