Sea cucumber braised with Peking leek
Peking leek slowly fried to release its fragrant oil, then braised with sea cucumber until glossy and soft — aromatic, warming for the kidneys and moistening for autumn dryness.
- 40 min
- Serves 2
- Braise
- Medium
Why it suits you: Yang-deficient people feel the cold and often have aching lower backs and knees, and long hours in air conditioning at Liqiu weaken yang further just as autumn dryness begins. Sea cucumber tonifies the kidneys and moistens dryness, while leek and ginger warm and free the yang. Warming and moistening together, it supports yang without overheating in the late summer heat.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min- 1Thaw the sea cucumbers, slit them open and remove any remaining innards, then rinse and cut into large pieces. Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water with 2 slices of ginger and a splash of the wine to remove any fishiness, then drain.
- 2Cut the leeks into lengths, keeping the white and green parts separate. Heat the oil and fry the whites slowly over a low heat until golden and fragrant.
- 3Add the remaining ginger and fry briefly, then the sea cucumber. Splash in the rest of the wine, add the oyster sauce, both soy sauces, sugar and water, bring to the boil and braise over a low heat for 10 minutes.
- 4Add the leek greens and braise for 2 minutes more, then thicken with the cornflour mixed with a little water until the sauce is glossy, and serve.
Cautions
- Sea cucumber is rich, so skip it while you have a cold, diarrhoea or lots of phlegm; avoid it if seafood disagrees with you.
Chef's tips
- Frozen ready-soaked sea cucumber is sold at dried seafood shops and supermarkets — slit it open and clean it well after thawing; fry the leek slowly for the most fragrant oil.
The TCM view
Sea cucumber is sweet, salty and warm, tonifying the kidneys, replenishing essence, nourishing blood and moistening dryness — the Bencao Congxin says it 'tonifies the kidneys, replenishes essence and strengthens yang'. Peking leek is pungent and warm, freeing yang and dispelling cold; ginger warms the middle and removes fishiness; Shaoxing wine warms and moves the blood. Together they warm kidney yang while moistening autumn dryness.
