Steamed scallops with XO sauce

Created in Hong Kong in the 80s by chefs working at high-end Cantonese restaurants, XO sauce was named after XO ("extra old") cognac to signify the luxury and premium quality of the sauce. It pairs perfectly with steamed dishes, like these scallops with XO sauce.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  1:30 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 12 half-shell scallops (roe removed)
• 200 g dried vermicelli noodles, soaked for 30 minutes in cold water
• 10 g oyster sauce
• 1 cup coriander leaves, to serve

For the XO sauce

• 100 g dried scallop (conpoy)
• 50 g dried shrimp
• 1 cup (250 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine
• 250 g long red chillies, halved, deseeded
• 60 g garlic cloves
• 40 g ginger, peeled
• 300 ml canola oil
• 15 g black beans
• 50 g smoked speck, finely chopped

Soaking time: 24 hours

Instructions

1. To make the XO sauce, separately soak the dried scallops and shrimp in the Shaoxing cooking wine for 24 hours. When ready to cook, set up a steamer basket over a large wok or frying pan. Drain the scallops and shrimp. Steam the drained scallops for 15 minutes in a small bowl, remove and allow to cool, then shred into fine strands. Set aside.
   
2. Pound the shrimp in a mortar and pestle until roughly broken up. Roughly chop the chillies, garlic and ginger. Heat the canola oil in a medium, heavy-based saucepan over low heat, then add all the XO ingredients to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally over a low simmer for 1-1.5 hours, or until deep red and very aromatic.
   
3. When ready to cook, drain the vermicelli noodles. In a large bowl, combine the noodles with 400 g XO sauce and the oyster sauce, mix well to combine.
   
4. Lay the scallops out on a plate and top with the XO noodle mixture – be generous with the quantity. Bring the steamer set-up to the boil. Steam the scallops on medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the scallops are just cooked through. Transfer the steamed scallops with XO sauce to a serving platter and sprinkle with coriander leaves. Serve immediately.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.