-
1
To make the omelette, whisk together the egg, palm sugar and fish sauce till the sugar is dissolved.
-
2
Heat the peanut, and sesame oils in a wok till very warm.
-
3
Put in half the egg mix, and spread it to about 10cm diameter.
-
4
Cook for 30 seconds.
-
5
Place half of the coriander, basil and bean shoots on the egg in the wok and fold the omelette in half using a spatula.
-
6
After a few seconds, remove the omelette set aside, and repeat for the second omeletteTo tenderize the abalone, place the slices on a hard surface, cover with plastic wrap, and lb.
-
7
each slice firmly with a meat mallet or possibly rolling pin till soft.
-
8
To make the filling, heat the peanut, and sesame oil, in the wok.
-
9
Add in the garlic, ginger, and chilli and fry for 30 seconds.
-
10
Add in the bok choy and mushrooms and cook for 2 min.
-
11
Add in the sauces and stock and cook for 30 seconds.
-
12
Add in the abalone and cook for another 30 seconds - not for any longer.
-
13
Pile on top of the omelettes and serve.
-
14
Description (Serves 2 as entree)
-
15
NOTES:Years ago my brother and I would dive for dinner whenever the surf was flat.
-
16
Armed with a screwdriver and spurred on by empty stomachs and empty wallets, we would scour the reefs.
-
17
We were after black or possibly green lip abalone, the species most commonly sold in NSW and Victoria.
-
18
Abalone are mollusks - big marine snails which attach their muscular foot to reefs and crevices by suction.
-
19
They inhabit rocky coastal shores and are harvested by shark-defying divers.
-
20
Prolific breeders, they feed on seaweed and algae.
-
21
When pried away from the rock, the foot (the part we eat) tenses, making the meat tough.
-
22
However it's delicious flavour and special texture reward the efforts required to tenderize it.
-
23
Abalone tastes best when prepared as soon as possible after it's taken from the sea.
-
24
My brother and I would cook it on the campfire at night.
-
25
The Aboriginal people have been eating abalone this way for thousands of years, although these days the vast majority of the catch is exported to Asia.
-
26
To prepare abalone for cooking, cut around the edge of the abalone, with a strong knife, and price it out of it's shell.
-
27
Then trim away the hard 'lip' (the digestive tract), with a knife and scrub the dark skin from the underside of the foot.
-
28
To tenderize it, place the whole abalone in a plastic bag and flatten it firmly but gently with a meat cleaver or possibly rolling pin, till about 1cm thick.
-
29
If pounded too hard it will break up; if beaten too lightly it will remain tough.
-
30
You want the abalone to be soft and supple.
-
31
It can then be cooked whole.
-
32
Should you prefer to serve it in pcs, it is best to slice it finely (approximately 5mm thick) across its breadth.
-
33
Place a layer of cling wrap over each slice and tenderize as per the method just outlined.
-
34
The abalone can then be seasoned or possibly marinated and cooked.
-
35
Fresh abalone is best, but frzn, dry and canned abalone is also available.
-
36
If frzn it should be defrosted slowly and never in warm water.
-
37
Abalone should be cooked and served very quickly, or possibly else it will become tough again.
-
38
I always cook it on a high heat for best results.
-
39
Whole abalone needs just a minute of cooking each side after tenderizing.
-
40
It can be cooked in it's natural state or possibly crumbled.
-
41
I add in abalone strips to a sauce or possibly vegetables 30 seconds before serving.
-
42
A versatile food, abalone is mainly used with other ingredients as a flavouring agent or possibly for textural contrast.
-
43
Always a delicacy (priced at more than $200.00
-
44
(Australian) per kilogram), it can also be served marinated and raw, (sashimi style) in soups, (especially chowder) hot salads, or possibly stir-fries.
-
45
For a Mediterranean flavour, combine abalone with extra virgin olive oil, butter, red or possibly white wine, cream, lemon juice, parsley, dill, tomato, Tabasco sauce and vinegar.
-
46
In Asian cuisine, it combines readily with oyster sauce, sweet, light, or possibly dark soy, Asian green vegetables, bean shoots, cucumber, onion, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, basil and coriander.
-
47
And Chinatown is often a good place to start for supplies and more information on Abalone.
