Hong Shao Pai Chi (Braised Whole Shark Fin)
It's a different dimension than artificial spring rain soup! The finest stew of a whole shark fin
Description
Cheap Japanese 'Shark Fin Soups' often use artificial fin or glass noodles. The absolute pinnacle of authentic banquet cuisine uses a 'massive, intact whole shark fin (Pai Chi)'. It is slow-braised in 'Ding Tang' (supreme broth) brewed over days from Jinhua ham and old hens until meltingly soft.
Restaurants serving Hong Shao Pai Chi (Braised Whole Shark Fin)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Dried whole shark fin(Pai Chi)
- Jinhua ham
- Old hen(for broth)
- Dried scallops
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe & Differences]
- (Rehydrating Fin) Boil a rock-hard, premium dried whole shark fin (Pai Chi) with scallion and ginger. Change the water repeatedly over several days to completely purge odor and restore its size (prep alone takes
- days).
- (Ding Tang Extraction) This is everything. Boil Jinhua ham, old hen, lean pork, and dried scallops in a massive pot for 8+ hours to extract a golden 'Supreme Broth' (Ding Tang).
- Place the fin in a clay pot and flood it with this broth.
- Season with soy, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine. Braise on low for hours until the fin's gelatin fuses with the soup into a melting texture.
- Carefully thicken with starch slurry without breaking the fin's shape. Serve boiling in the clay pot with bean sprouts or bok choy.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Premium amino acids from Jinhua ham and dried seafood
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Irreplaceable - the fin's texture and Ding Tang umami)
Pairing
Premium Shaoxing Wine / Champagne
Trivia
[Trivia] 'Pai Chi' is the intact, premium whole fin; 'San Chi' are the cheap, broken threads. In Chinese weddings or state banquets, omitting this dish renders the banquet 'low-class'. It is the ultimate status symbol.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] The fin itself has absolutely ZERO flavor. You eat it to enjoy the 'bouncy texture of the golden threads unraveling', acting as a sponge for the 'hundred-dollar Supreme Broth'. Adding a drop of Red Vinegar (Hung Cho) at the end tightens the flavor.
Allergen
Seafood, Chicken, Pork (Ham), Wheat (Soy sauce)