Buddha Jumps Over the Wall

Ingredients

• 6 dried abalone (soak 3-4 days ahead)
• 4 dried sea cucumbers (soak 2-3 days ahead)
• 50g fish maw (soak 24 hours ahead, substitute with additional abalone)
• 50g dried scallops (soak 2 hours)
• 30g dried conch (soak 2 hours)
• 100g Jinhua ham (thick slices)
• 1/2 old hen (about 500g)
• 500g pork bones (blanched)
• 6 quail eggs (hard-boiled, peeled)
• 1 winter bamboo shoot (sliced)
• 6 shiitake mushrooms (soaked)
• 5 ginger slices
• 2 scallion sections
• 100ml Shaoxing wine
• Salt to taste
• White pepper to taste
• 2000ml premium stock (or water)

Steps

1. Day 1-2: Soak abalone in cold water in refrigerator for 48 hours, changing water every 12 hours. Use oil-free container.
2. Day 2-3: Soak sea cucumbers in cold water in refrigerator for 36-48 hours, changing water every 12 hours.
3. Day 2: Clean soaked abalone with brush. Place in pot with water, ginger, scallions. Bring to boil, then simmer 2 hours. Turn off heat and let cool naturally. Slice and set aside.
4. Day 3: Clean sea cucumbers, remove internal organs. Boil in water with ginger, scallions, and cooking wine for 30 minutes. Remove and set aside.
5. Soak fish maw in warm water 24 hours ahead, changing water 2-3 times. Steam fish maw 30 minutes until tender.
6. Soak dried scallops and conch in warm water with splash of wine for 2 hours until soft. Shred into threads.
7. Prepare stock: Cut hen into pieces, blanch pork bones. In large pot, combine hen, pork bones, ginger, scallions with 3000ml water. Bring to boil, then simmer 4 hours. Strain to get 2000ml stock.
8. Prep other ingredients: Peel and slice bamboo shoot, blanch to remove bitterness. Soak mushrooms, remove stems. Slice ham thick. Hard-boil quail eggs, peel.
9. Layer ingredients (critical step): Use large clay pot or ceramic casserole. Place bamboo mat at bottom. Layer in order: pork bones and hen at bottom, then ham, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, scallop threads in middle, abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, quail eggs on top.
10. Add seasoning: Pour in Shaoxing wine, add salt and white pepper. Add hot stock to just cover ingredients.
11. Seal and simmer: Cover pot opening with plastic wrap, then lid for tight seal. Bring to boil, then simmer on lowest heat 6-8 hours.
12. Check halfway: After 4 hours, check liquid level. Add hot water if evaporated too much.
13. Finish cooking: After full cooking time, turn off heat and rest 30 minutes. Open lid - should be very aromatic with golden rich broth.
14. Serve: Carefully ladle out ingredients keeping layers intact. Serve soup separately, pour over when eating. Can eat with rice or alone.