Ingredients
250 g chicken broth, 300 g water-soaked shark fin, 50 g each of chicken, duck, pork, and napa cabbage heart, 30 g ham.
Seasonings
30 g lard, 35 g Shaoxing wine, 10 g dark soy sauce, 2 g salt, 10 g ginger, 10 g scallions.
Instructions
1. After rehydrating the shark fins, remove all impurities, place them in a steaming bowl, add enough water to cover, and steam over high heat for about 40 minutes. Remove from the steamer, drain, and repeat the process of boiling in water 3 to 4 times. Then, simmer the fins in a pot with chicken broth and cooking wine over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove, wrap in clean gauze, and set aside.
2. Cut the chicken, duck, pork, and ham into thick slices—these ingredients are used only for their flavor. Sauté them in rendered lard in a wok, then add cooking wine, dark soy sauce, salt, scallions, ginger, and broth. Place the wrapped shark fin into the wok, bring to a quick boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until the shark fin becomes tender and the sauce thickens.
3. Remove the shark fin bundle, discard the cheesecloth, strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a wok, add the shark fin, and reduce the sauce over low heat. Meanwhile, in a separate wok, stir-fry the cleaned bok choy hearts just until tender, then remove and arrange them in a circle around the bottom of a serving plate. Spoon the shark fin into the center of the plate and serve. This dish features deep golden color, glossy fin needles, a tender yet firm texture, and a thick, richly flavored sauce.