It has been six months since I last met my mother. Probably one of the worst things living separately from my family is not being able to taste my mother's exquisite cooking. 

Modesty aside, my cooking has been praised by my friends and relatives with a single exception--my mum's cooking will always be a notch higher. 

As a culinary student, it kind of stepped on my pride, so at our family reunion, I decided to recreate my mother's special recipe- braised abalone with mushrooms. 

Will a culinary student be able to impress her mum with her own legendary abalone recipe in Singapore? Let's find out.

Finding The Ingredients

Abalone

The main star of the dish is abalone. Abalone is a popular seafood known for its salty and buttery flavour and chewy texture. Most abalone found in the market is bred and raised in abalone farms. It is rare to find wild abalones today.

Abalone is quite expensive in Singapore. It is hard to find a fresh one too. That is why in our family, my mum's braised abalone with mushrooms is only served during a special occasion. 

I was not able to find fresh abalone in the market, so I opted to buy a canned abalone online in Singapore. As a culinary student, I learnt that as much as possible, always stick to fresh ingredients and avoid buying canned or preserved food. 

But the Japanese braised canned abalone I ordered in Singapore looked high-quality. Taste-wise? We will find out later. 

Mushroom

Another key ingredient is the mushroom. Mushrooms are fungi that grow on the forest floor or the ground. 

There are edible varieties of mushrooms. These edible mushrooms are now being produced as a food source. Among the popular edible mushrooms are shiitake, white mushroom, cremini mushrooms and chanterelle mushrooms.

Here are my few tips for buying mushrooms!

• You can determine the freshness of a mushroom through its scent. A fresh mushroom has a woody smell. Mildew or musty smell means it is an old harvest.
• Fresh mushrooms should have a firm shape and texture. Avoid buying shrivelled and wet mushrooms.
• Use a paper bag when storing a mushroom. Plastic bags spoil the mushroom fast.

Shaoxing Rice wine

Shaoxing rice wine is a popular cooking wine for several Chinese dishes. Its salty and alcoholic flavour gives a unique taste to every dish. However, it is only used in small amounts. Cooking sake and mirin are popular alternatives to Shaoxing rice wine.

Other Ingredients

Here are the other ingredients:

• ginger
• garlic
• oil
• Shaoxing rice wine
• oyster sauce
• sugar
• salt
• chicken powder
• water

How To Cook Braised Abalone with Mushrooms

• Saute garlic and ginger in the oil. Use medium to high heat only.
• Add and stir fry the shiitake mushrooms. 
• After two minutes, you can add the canned abalone. Stir fry the abalone and mushrooms for two minutes, as well.
• After two minutes of stir-frying, add all the remaining spices: sugar, salt, oyster sauce, and chicken powder. Let it simmer for two minutes.
• Add Shaoxing rice wine 
• Add the water
• Wait for it to boil. After boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for about five hours. 
• It is ready to serve!

Additional Tips!

• If you are not a fan of shiitake mushroom, you can use broccoli as an alternative. 
• You can also use other cooking wine if Shaoxing rice wine is not available.
• Canned abalone in Singapore is also a good quick abalone dish fix. 
• Using a pressure cooker to cook braised abalone with mushroom reduces the cooking time to one hour.
• Slicing abalone into thinner pieces, and pounding it makes it more tender and flavourful

The Verdict

I was really worried about the taste of my abalone recipe. After more than five hours of cooking, it was time for tasting. My entire family was expecting too much since I am a culinary student. My mum was very keen on her cooking. She knows if I bought the best and freshest abalone in Singapore. 

My mum loved it! The abalone was very tender and tasted so delicious. I must admit the quality of the canned abalone I ordered in Singapore was pretty high. 

So, if you are asking me whether I matched my mum's cooking, the answer is YES! My braised abalone with mushrooms is a hit! The dish was really worth the wait. Canned abalone did not fail me that day.

Choose Snacks Delivery

Are you craving the salty and buttery taste of abalone? Or are you like me who wants to cook an abalone recipe to impress someone? Snacks

Delivery provides fresh and high-quality canned abalone at an affordable price! Snacks Delivery ensures the taste and freshness of abalone from the can to your plate!

Besides abalone, Snacks Delivery offers the best snacks in Singapore! From sweet tarts and pastries to savoury finger food, Snacks Delivery got it for you!

Next time you crave abalone or the best snacks in Singapore, visit Snacks Delivery immediately!