serves
4
prep
20 minutes
cook
1:30 hour
difficulty
Mid
serves
4
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
1:30
hour
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 12 half-shell scallops (roe removed)
- 200 g dried vermicelli noodles, soaked for 30 minutes in cold water
- 10 g oyster sauce
- 1 cup coriander leaves, to serve
For the XO sauce
- 100 g dried scallop (conpoy)
- 50 g dried shrimp
- 1 cup (250 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
- 250 g long red chillies, halved, deseeded
- 60 g garlic cloves
- 40 g ginger, peeled
- 300 ml canola oil
- 15 g black beans
- 50 g smoked speck, finely chopped
Soaking time: 24 hours
Instructions
- To make the XO sauce, separately soak the dried scallops and shrimp in the Shaoxing cooking wine for 24 hours. When ready to cook, set up a steamer basket over a large wok or frying pan. Drain the scallops and shrimp. Steam the drained scallops for 15 minutes in a small bowl, remove and allow to cool, then shred into fine strands. Set aside.
- Pound the shrimp in a mortar and pestle until roughly broken up. Roughly chop the chillies, garlic and ginger. Heat the canola oil in a medium, heavy-based saucepan over low heat, then add all the XO ingredients to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally over a low simmer for 1-1.5 hours, or until deep red and very aromatic.
- When ready to cook, drain the vermicelli noodles. In a large bowl, combine the noodles with 400 g XO sauce and the oyster sauce, mix well to combine.
- Lay the scallops out on a plate and top with the XO noodle mixture – be generous with the quantity. Bring the steamer set-up to the boil. Steam the scallops on medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the scallops are just cooked through. Transfer the steamed scallops with XO sauce to a serving platter and sprinkle with coriander leaves. Serve immediately.
Photography by Jiwon Kim.
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
