Steamed scallops with XO sauce

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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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