Cordyceps Flower, Pearl Oyster Meat and Green-Lip Abalone Soup

Why people make this soup

Abalone has long been known in Cantonese cuisine as “ming mu yu” — the eye-brightening fish — and in traditional food therapy it is associated with calming internal heat, nourishing the liver and supporting comfortable vision. Combined with pearl oyster meat, which is deeply nourishing and associated with the eyes and kidneys, and cordyceps flower, which adds kidney-protecting and anti-fatigue properties, the result is a soup that is exceptional in both flavour and nourishing effect. Rich and beautifully fragrant, it is one of those recipes reserved for when you want to give someone — or yourself — a genuine boost.

Method

1. Rinse the cordyceps flower and soak briefly in cold water for 10–15 minutes.
2. Soak the pearl oyster meat in cold water until fully softened (30–60 minutes or longer).
3. Defrost the frozen green-lip abalone. Trim away the intestinal sac (the dark portion). Blanch briefly in boiling water to remove impurities.
4. Place all ingredients together in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
5. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer.
6. Cook for 3 hours, until the broth reduces to about 1.2 L.
7. The abalone must be cooked whole and only sliced into pieces to serve at the table — cutting it before cooking makes the flesh tough and chewy.
8. Drink the broth and eat the abalone, pearl meat and cordyceps flower.

Nourilo’s Tips

• When selecting cordyceps flower, look for pieces that are dry, aromatic and deep orange in colour. The yellow colouring that appears when you soak it is natural pigment — perfectly normal, just like the yellow from goji berries.
• The green-lip abalone must be cooked whole throughout the simmering process. Slice it only when you are about to eat — this is the key to keeping the flesh tender rather than rubbery.
• If pearl oyster meat is not available or too expensive, you can substitute dried whelk (xiang luo gan) or dried scallop column (yao zhu), or simply add extra goji berries and skip the pearl meat. Pearl oyster meat is available at Chinese or Asian dry-goods stores or online.
• This soup is also suitable as a restorative after surgery or serious illness. It can be made more substantial by adding lean pork or pork shank for a larger group.