From The Straits Times    |


Coordination Mia Chenyze Photography Darren Chang Art Direction & Styling Nikki Ho

WINTER MELON STUFFED WITH DRIED SCALLOP AND BLACK MOSS
By Chung Yiu Ming, executive Chinese chef of Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
8 whole dried scallops*, soaked for 30min
1 winter melon, peeled and sliced into 1.5inch-thick rings
10g black moss*, soaked for 30min
1 tsp + 1 tbsp oil
8 broccoli florets

For the sauce:
1 tsp oyster sauce
1⁄2 tsp dark soya sauce
400g chicken stock
1⁄2 tbsp cornflour, made into a paste with 11⁄2 tbsp water
A pinch of salt
1⁄2 tsp sugar

*Available from grocers in Chinatown.

DIRECTIONS
1 Steam the dried scallops for 20min. Set aside.
2 Use a 2.5inch round mould to stamp out each ring of winter melon. Next, use a 1.5inch round mould to stamp out the centre of each winter melon ring halfway, then use a spoon to scoop out the flesh. You can find round serrated moulds at Phoon Huat (including 171 Bencoolen Street, tel: 6338-1143).
3 Steam the winter melon rings for 7min, then stuff a dried scallop into the centre of each ring.
4 Set a small pot of water to boil. Add the black moss and 1 tsp of oil, and cook for 20sec. Set aside.
5 Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a wok and stir-fry the broccoli for 2min, until it is bright green and crisp. Set aside.
6 On a serving plate, place the broccoli in the centre, surrounded by black moss and the winter melon.
7 In a clean wok over medium heat, combine the sauce ingredients and mix well. Once the sauce is heated through pour it over the dish and serve.

This article was originally published in Simply Her February 2016.