Scallion Braised Sea Cucumber
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Scallion Braised Sea Cucumber
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Scallion Braised Sea Cucumber (Simplified Chinese: 葱烧海参; Traditional Chinese: 蔥燒海參; Pinyin: Cōng shāo hǎishēn) is a Shandong luxury dish in which rehydrated sea cucumber is braised with abundant scallion in a savory brown sauce. It is a flagship of Shandong Food (Lu cuisine) banquet cooking and also appears in related northern and northeastern fine-dining menus.[1][2]
Characteristics
Sea cucumber is prized for soft, bouncy texture rather than strong intrinsic flavor; scallion aroma and a reduced soy-and-stock sauce provide the seasoning. Presentation is usually understated and glossy—dark sea cucumber pieces with wilted aromatic scallion in a bright brown glaze. Soft regional cue: Shandong writing often pairs Jiaodong / Fushan coastal sea cucumber with inland Zhangqiu large scallion for fragrance contrast.[1] Keep distinct from sweet-and-sour Shandong fish showpieces such as Sweet and Sour Carp and from plain clear-braised seafood without the scallion oil emphasis.
Ingredients (overview)
Dried sea cucumber (soaked, cleaned, and simmered until tender); scallion (often fried or oil-infused); chicken or superior stock; soy sauce; cooking wine; light sugar for balance; starch for final gloss. Soft craft note: preparing dried sea cucumber is lengthy and technique-sensitive—multiple soaks and simmer stages—so restaurant kitchens treat it as a skilled prep item; overview only, not a recipe.[1]
History and culture
Braised sea cucumber with scallion highlights Shandong’s coastal seafood tradition and careful northern braising technique on formal menus across Beijing and northern China.[1] Soft modern restaurant landmark: Fushan-origin chefs associated with Beijing’s Fengzeyuan restaurant—commonly named Wang Shizhen and Wang Yijun in Chinese food histories—refined the plate into a widely copied house classic; Wang Yijun’s success with an improved scallion-braised sea cucumber at the 1983 national cooking competition is frequently cited as a prestige cue that spread the dish’s fame (cultural landmark, not store-count advertising).[1][3] Soft naming: menus may say 葱烧海参, 葱烧刺参, or specify Guandong / Liaoning sea cucumber grades; treat grade talk as quality vocabulary, not brand promotion.
Serving and variations
Banquet main dish, usually shared. Soft variation: heavier scallion-oil fragrance vs lighter stock-forward braises; Jiaodong vs other sea-cucumber sources; restaurant “明汁亮芡” glossy finishes vs home simpler reductions. See Shandong Food, Sweet and Sour Carp, and Dezhou Braised Chicken.
See also
- Shandong Food
- Sweet and Sour Carp
- Dezhou Braised Chicken
- Buddha Jumps Over the Wall
- List of dishes (A-Z)