Braised Dried Seafood Soup With Conpoy Recipe

Soak dried conpoy, mushrooms, kelp and shrimp

Place the dried conpoy, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp and kelp in a large heatproof bowl. Pour 600 ml of hot (not boiling) water over them and cover. Soak for 30–45 minutes until pliable and rehydrated. Reserve the soaking liquid by straining through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a separate container; this liquid will be used to enrich the soup.

Prepare aromatics

Peel and slice the ginger into 3–4 thin slices. Trim scallion whites and green tops separately. Thinly slice the scallion whites and set aside the green tops for garnish.

Shred conpoy and slice mushrooms

Remove the rehydrated conpoy and gently shred it into threads or bite-sized pieces using two forks or your fingers. Remove mushroom stems, thinly slice caps. Set rehydrated kelp aside (cut into 2–3 cm strips) and roughly chop the soaked shrimp if large.

Cut chicken thighs into 2–3 cm cubes. Lightly season the chicken with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper. Drain the tofu and cut into 2 cm cubes. Wash and halve or quarter baby bok choy lengthwise depending on size.

Brown aromatics and briefly sear chicken

Heat 1 tbs neutral oil in a wide soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced ginger and the scallion whites; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chicken pieces and sear just until the exterior is lightly golden (about 2–3 minutes) — you don't need to cook through.

Add dried seafood and deglaze

Add the shredded conpoy, sliced shiitake, chopped dried shrimp and kelp strips to the pot. Stir 1 minute to combine and bloom the dried seafood flavors. Pour in the reserved soaking liquid slowly (watch for sediment) and add additional chicken stock to bring total liquid to about 1.6 liters (use 1600 ml chicken stock minus how much soaking liquid used). Add Shaoxing wine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer gently

Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes to allow the conpoy and dried seafood to re-integrate and the chicken to become tender. Skim any foam or excess oil from the surface occasionally.

Add tofu and bok choy

Gently add the tofu cubes and baby bok choy to the pot. Continue to simmer 5–7 minutes until bok choy is tender-crisp and tofu heated through.

Season and thicken

Stir in light soy sauce, remaining salt (approx 3/4 tsp), remaining white pepper (approx 1/4 tsp), and sugar. Mix cornstarch with 2 tbs cold water to make a slurry, stir into the simmering soup a little at a time while gently stirring until broth slightly thickens to a silky consistency (about 1 minute). Taste and adjust salt or soy to preference.

Final touches

Turn off heat and stir in 1 tsp sesame oil. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with scallion greens and cilantro leaves if using.