This dish is a must in my family every Chinese New Year, usually its mum who does all the preparation and cooking.
This time, i will do everything from scratch - starting from dried sea cucumber.
Seriously speaking, its a tedious process ...... the smell of it was not very pleasing too
Here's how i did mine preparation:
1. You need to boil the sea cucumber in a pot water every morning for up to 3 days and soak it in the water. Just off fire after boiling.
2. Use a knife to scrap out all the whitish impurities on the sea cucumber surfaces and remove all the debris inside the folds.
3. Boil the sea cucumber every morning for another 2-3 days (depending on how soft you want).
4. Next remove the smell. Cut the soften sea cucumber into smaller pieces. Stir fry some garlic with oil and fry the sea cucumber with salt.
5. Wash off the garlic and salt with cold water.
6. You can pack the seacucumber into zip loc bags and freeze till you are ready to use.
Braised sea cucumber
Ingredient
Sea cucumber, prepare as above (half for this recipe will do)
Pressed Tofu, cut into small pieces x1
roasted pork x 300g
Dried mushroom x 10 pcs, soaked
Cinnamon x 1 pc
Star anise x 1pc
4 cloves of garlic, lightly smashed
Seasoning
dark sauce 2 tbsp
light soya sauce/fish sauce to taste
Method
1. Pan fry the tofu on a wok and set aside
2. Place 100 ml water into pot or inner pot place all the ingredient into in it except seasoning
3. Boil till sea cucumber soften and tofu looks light brown if you are using a pot
4. If you are using thermal pot, just ensure it boils for 5 mins then put it in the inner pot
5. Before serving add light soya sauce or fish sauce.
Its comfort food to me ....
This dish can be kept for 2 days. In fact it taste better overnight