Simplified PenCai (盆菜)

All yummy food in a pot.  Last minute decided to prepare PenCai (盆菜). Normally it will take a long time, even days to prepare this dish. A popular dish during the Chinese New Year's celebration / reunion dinner.

A quick check into my stocks, I don't have frozen scallops :( I'll just have to make do with what I have available in my kitchen. 

Phew! I found 2 cans of braised abalone! 

Lay the ingredients neatly on the vegetables. 

After 1.5hr, voilà! a simple PenCai is served. 

We had it with Beehoon today. Yum! 

Simplified PenCai Recipe:

Ingredients

2 cans of braised abalones - I used Skylight

1 can of limpets 

Some dried mushrooms - soaked 

Some prawns 

1 Chinese cabbage - cut into big pieces. 

Some fish maw 

Other seafood of choice 

Fresh mushrooms of choice 

Some canned abalone 

Roasted pork / chicken ( optional ) 

Preparation steps: 

1. Separate the canned ingredients & the broth. 

2. Pour broth into a pot & bring to boil. 

3. Add in the Chinese cabbage. 

4. Add in the soaked dried mushrooms. Bring to boil for about 10 mins & let it simmer.  

5. Slowly arrange all the canned ingredients, seafood of choice & other ingredients neatly on the Chinese cabbage. Put on the lid & let it simmer until all ingredients are fully cooked. 

6. Served hot. 

Bon appétit !! 

Chin's notes: 

1. Use any ingredients that does not require a long cooking time. Normally I like to use fresh / frozen seafood. Fish balls are ideal too. 

2. Any choice of canned seafood are ideal, pacific clams are ideal too.

3. No additional seasoning is required as I find the braised abalone's broth is quite tasty. After the vegetable is cooked, it enhanced the broth.  Can add some oyster sauce if you like. 

4. No additional water is required as the Chinese cabbage will release some fluid during the cooking process. 

5. Idéal to eat this dish the following day. But I find that they are quite tasty on the day it was prepared.