Pen Cai

Braised mushrooms, scallops and oysters

1. Heat oil and sautè garlic till fragrant.
2. Add mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes.
3. Add oyster sauce, light soya sauce, Chinese wine, sesame oil, soaking liquids from mushroom, large scallops and oysters, and enough water to cover the mushrooms. Bring to a boil and simmer till soft. Add more water if necessary.
4. Add scallops and oysters and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes, or till soft yet firm.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Stock

1. Bring water to boil. Add small scallops and mushroom stalks, and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Sieve stock to get clear broth.
3. Add brine from canned abalone| to the broth and bring to a boil.
4. Add prawns and cook till just pink. Remove and set aside.
5. Blanch wong bok in stock, remove and set aside.
6. Cook radish in broth till just tender, remove and set aside.
7. Blanch enoki mushrooms in broth, remove and set aside.

Assembling the pen cai

1. Layer pot with wong bok, followed by radish and enoki.
2. Arrange top layer in sections to present a visually appealing pot of exquisite tastes – black mushrooms, beige baby abalones, green broccoli, dark brown oysters, ‘white- orange’ roast pork belly, red prawns, golden brown scallops, pale fish maw and bright carrots.
3. Separately boil the stock, adding to it the braised mushroom liquid.
4. Pour boiling stock over pen cai, cover and give it a quick boil for 5 -10 minutes just before serving.