A Less-known Way To Cook Delicious Scallops At Home: Steamed Scallop With Rice Vermicelli And Garlic
As one of the highly prized protein source, scallop is at the top of a foodie’s list at a fancy restaurant. Most of the time, restaurants serve sautéed or seared scallop. I am not a big fan of it, because I like to preserve the natural flavor of food in a healthy way. That’s why I am so excited to share this ancient Chinese recipe today, which is a traditional Cantonese dish. As much as I love Moo Goo Gai Pan, another signature dish in Cantonese cuisine, I have always kept a keen interest in applying their healthy cooking techniques in my life.
When it comes to cooking scallop at home, there is absolutely no room for error. Why? Simple answer: it is expensive:) But for this recipe, the average scallop is fine. It will be covered by garlic and served with rice vermicelli, so the size of the scallop doesn’t matter much anymore!
Never had I thought about the complex internal arrangement of organ and systems inside the scallop until I had to clean it myself! I have to say it’s a really amazing creature! The most impressive part is the eyes, which have a double-layered retina served as an “early-warning” threat detection system. Such an intelligent design!
I’ve had steamed scallop in restaurants a few times. It leaves a lot to be desired. I guess it has something to do with the freshness of the scallop. Restaurants may not always use the freshest ingredients. But today, with a few handy tricks, you can whip up a wonderful seafood meal on the dinner table!
It may require a little hard work opening and preparing scallop (see step-by-step instruction if you are new to this). After removing and cleaning the flesh, you’ll need salt, pepper, cooking wine, starch and this year’s superfood, turmeric to marinate it. Now let’s dive into it!
Serves 4 as a main course
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Special Instruction:
- Marinating scallops with starch can deliver a tender texture.
- Garlic plays an essential role in this recipe. Make sure you stir-fry it to maximize its unique flavor.
- Steaming timing is really important. Depending on the size of the scallop, it should only takes about 5 minutes for bigger ones and 3 minutes for smaller ones.
Ingredients:
scallops, 12 pieces
rice vermicelli, 20g
clove garlic, finely chopped
ginger, shredded
scallion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
turmeric, ½ teaspoon
cooking wine, 1 tablespoon
salad oil, ½ tablespoon
starch, ½ tablespoon
Check this ultimate list of essential Chinese ingredients (and which brand to buy)
Steps:
- Clean the scallop shell using a toothbrush.
- Insert the knife and remove the flesh carefully.
- Get rid of the black portion and the gill of the flesh part. You should only keep the flesh in the center (round shape) and the yellow portion (crescent shape).
- Place the scallop in a large bowl and add some cold water. Soak for 2 minutes. Stir the scallop clockwise to let any sand or dirt come out.
- Soak rice vermicelli in warm water for 10 minute. Drain well.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmerica, 1 tablespoon cooking wine, ½ teaspoon white pepper and ½ tablespoon starch. Mix well.
- Heat the oil in a pan. Stir-fry the chopped garlic for 2 minutes.
- Cut the rice vermicelli to small pieces and place it on the bottom of every shell. Then put scallop on top of vermicelli. Add some garlic and ginger on the very top.
- Boil some water in a steamer. Add scallop and steam for 5 minutes over high heat.
- Remove the shredded ginger and sprinkle some scallions on the top.
Ready to serve! Enjoy!
