Mama Snow Cooks and More

This version of crab and fish maw soup shows you how I cook it from scratch using pork bone broth like the way my mom always cook it when she’s making crab soup. I stored half of the soup in the freezer and still have enough for our fancy “breakfast” for the week.

Prep and Cook time: 1 hour+Servings: 10-20 peopleNote: I cooked this in a 10-quart pot.

Ingredients:

• 4 - 6 baked fish maws
• 1 lb (16 oz) crab meat*
• 1 lb Publix’s premium imitation crab meat*
• 1 cup dried premium sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 6 eggs* (whole eggs or 1 cup of egg whites only)
• 1 bunch of asparagus*
• 5 shallots (1/2 cup)
• 1 bunch scallion
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 2.5-3 lb pork bones
• 3 + 5 quarts water
• 1 14 oz. can or about 1.5 cup chicken broth (optional)
• 2 cups of “Super Sweet Corn” (optional)
• 1/2 cup dried black fungus (optional)
• 2 Tbsp salt+
• 3.5 Tbsp sugar+
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp onion powder
• pork bone broth
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Note: I would substitute the Publix’s imitation crab meat with meat of snow crab legs for special occasions. I don’t recommend buying the nasty, cheap imported imitation crab meat that tasted like plain soy sticks at the Asian markets. As for crab meat, the markets sell claw meat, mixed claw with white lump crab meat, or lump crab meat. Prices are from $10 to $30 for about a pound. I recommend using lump crab meat because it taste much better. I don’t recommend using the claw meat only because it will turn the broth a dark color and gives a strong “mùi tanh” or fishy smell. I used a can with both claw and lump crab meat. This Vietnamese-style fish maw soup is made using pork bone broth most of the time.

This is our first time harvesting our homegrown scallions.

Direction:

1. Prep the ingredients. Soak the fish maws in a big bowl with warm-hot water until it softens up and then cut it into small pieces. Shred the imitation crab meat. Soak the shiitake mushrooms until it softens up and then squeeze out the liquid. Soak the black fungus and then cut or chop it into fine pieces (the smaller the better). Wash and chop the cilantro and scallions. Minced the shallots. Beat the eggs. Note: I cut off the tips of the asparagus because it will make the broth kinda green and then cut the stems in little thin circles because that’s the only way my little foodie would eat the asparagus.

2. I normally would have pork bone broth stored in quart size containers in the freezer to use, but ran out so I had to make the pork bone broth: I boiled about 3 pounds of pork bones in 3 quarts of water in a smaller pot for about 30 minutes on high heat. I discard all the dark scum and white scum. Then I discard the bones and pour the broth into the 10-quart pot through a strainer. Then I pour in 5 quarts of water and bring the broth to a boil. (Reserve 2 cups of pork bone broth to mix with corn cornstarch later.)

3. While waiting for the broth to boil, prep the crab meat mixture. In a little bowl, add 1/2 cup chopped scallion, minced shallots, and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, ginger powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and onion powder. Heat up skillet with 1 Tbsp of oil then add in the crab meat and seasoning mixture. Stir all ingredients up and cook it for about a minute or two on high heat. Immediately pour the crab mixture from skillet straight into the pot of broth. This is the time I seasoned the broth. I added 2 tablespoon of salt, 3.5 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 Tbsp of onion powder.

4. I added the shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped black fungus, asparagus, and chicken broth. (I had leftover chicken broth in the fridge so I just want to use that up.) By this time, the broth hasn’t quite boil yet. When it starts to boil hard, turn heat down to medium high and cook for about 15 minutes.

5. Then add the corn, shredded imitation crab meat, and chopped fish maw pieces. Turn heat back to high and wait for broth to boil again.

6. Prepare the beaten eggs. Sometimes I would use 1 cup of egg whites only for the soup, but since I have a lot of chicken eggs in the fridge, I used the yolks as well. When broth is boiling hard, turn heat down so it’s boiling lightly. Slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs in a circular pattern with one hand while stirring the broth with the other hand. Then mix 1.5 cup of corn starch with the 2 cups of reserved pork bone broth and slowly pour it in the broth with one hand and stirring the broth with the other hand. Add more corn starch and water mixture until soup thickens to your preference. Turn off stove and remove pot to a cooler spot.

7. Add fresh cilantro, scallions, and black pepper to your preference and ENJOY!