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Meaty with a dash of veggies

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Mushrooms Seafood Appetizers Lunch / Dinner

Braised sea cucumbers and shiitake

Published: 05.30.2018 » Last updated: 01.02.2023

Sea cucumbers and shiitake are braised in a sauce made with ginger, garlic, shallots, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce and black pepper. Broccoli florets are served on the side.

Braised sea cucumbers and shiitake with broccoli on the side

It’s quite rare that we are able to get fresh sea cucumbers. In the past, the only place we could enjoy them was in Chinese restaurants. But what the heck is sea cucumber anyway? It is a marine plant? Sea cucumber is an animal, not a plant. So, no, this is not a vegetarian dish.

Sea cucumbers

What are sea cucumbers? How are they cooked?

Sea cucumber is known by various names around the world. It is bêche-de-mer in France, bicho do mar in Portugal, namako in Japanese, trepang in Indonesia, gamat in Malaysia, loli in Hawaii and balatan in Filipino (Tagalog).

Shiitake is black mushroom in Chinese cookbooks but I’m calling them shiitake here because that is the term that has become globally known. Besides, “black mushroom” can be so confusing since the color varies from beige to brown to black, and the caps may be speckled or not.

Rehydrating dried shiitake in warm water

You can always use fresh shiitake for this dish BUT dried ones have a richer flavor, and the soaking water makes a tasty base for the sauce.

Parboiling fresh sea cucumbers

Because sea cucumbers have a strong fishy smell, I parboil them them with slices of ginger. Ginger is so good at neutralizing fishy smell.

Braising sea cucumbers and shiitake in sauce

After the mushrooms and sea cucumbers have been prepped, the braising begins. Garlic, ginger, shallots are sauteed, the mushrooms and sea cucumbers are added, the mushroom soaking water is poured in, and soy sauce, pepper, sugar and oyster sauce are stirred in.

When the mushrooms and sea cucumbers are cooked through, starch is dispersed in reserved mushroom soaking water, poured into the pan and the cooking continues just until the sauce has thickened and cleared.

Full recipe below

Braised sea cucumbers and shiitake

Connie Veneracion
Slightly shewy with a bit of crunch, sea cucumber has a unique texture. Paired with mushrooms and a sweet-salty sticky sauce, Chinese-style braised sea cucumbers and shiitake mushrooms make a delicious starter course.
Braised sea cucumbers and shiitake with broccoli on the side
Print
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Soaking time 2 hrs
Total Time 2 hrs 50 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 10 to 12 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 300 grams fresh sea cucumbers
  • 6 to 8 slices ginger - divided
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic - peeled and smashed
  • 1 to 2 shallots - peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca starch - or corn starch
  • salt - to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon sesame seed oil
  • 1 head broccoli - broken into florets and blanched in salted water

Instructions
 

Prep the shiitake

  • Place the shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and pour in warm water. Soak for 15 minutes, flip them over and soak for 15 minutes more (soaking them for as long as three hours won’t hurt).
  • Snip off the stems of the shiitake and discard. Cut the caps into halves if large. You want bite-size pieces.
  • Strain the liquid in which the mushrooms have soaked. You will need about three cups.

Pre-cook the sea cucumbers

  • While the shiitake mushrooms rehydrate, rinse the sea cucumbers and make sure the cavities are clean.
  • Drop the sea cucumbers into a pot, add half of the ginger and cover with water. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover the pot and cook the sea cucumbers with the ginger for 15 to 20 minutes to remove the strong fishy odor.
  • Drain the sea cucumbers, rinse under the tap (or plunge in an ice bath) then cut into bite-size pieces.

Braise the sea cucumbers and shiitake

  • Heat the cooking oil in a wok or frying pan.
  • Saute the remaining ginger, all of the garlic and shallot(s) in the oil until fragrant.
  • Turn up the heat. Add the shiitake and sea cucumbers. Stir fry until every piece is coated with oil.
  • Reserve a quarter cup of the mushroom liquid and pour the rest into the wok with the sea cucumbers and mushrooms.
  • Stir in the soy sauce, pepper, sugar and oyster sauce. Bring to the boil. Set the heat to low, cover the wok and cook the sea cucumbers and mushrooms until tender and the liquid is reduced to less than half.
  • Stir the starch in the reserved mushroom liquid.
  • Pour the starch solution into the wok. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick and clear. Taste. Add salt, as needed.
  • Off the heat, drizzle in the sesame seed oil and toss everything to blend.

Assemble the dish

  • Arrange the blanched broccoli florets on one side of a serving platter. Ladle your delicious Chinese-style braised sea cucumbers and shiitake mushrooms, with the sauce, on the opposite side.
  • Serve at once.
Print
Keyword Mushrooms, Sea Cucumber, Shiitake

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Connie Veneracion, Chiang Mai, 2020

Hi, I’m Connie!

Welcome to Umami Days, a blog that advocates innovative home cooking for pleasurable everyday dining. No trendy diets, no food fads and definitely no ludicrous recipe names like crustless quiche, noodleless pho or chocolate lasagna.

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