Chef Michael Zhou · Terracotta Modern Chinese
PREPARING JELLYFISH used to be a tedious, time-consuming task, making it a dine-out delicacy. These days, however, ready-to-cook packages of jellyfish are available at major Asian supermarkets, and so it’s possible to enjoy them at home.
Jellyfish is most commonly served finely diced and tossed with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and chili flakes. Brined and processed jellyfish is usually served as part of the appetizer platter at Chinese banquets. More recent recipes include pairings such as jellyfish and prawn salad, jellyfish and vegetable salad and this warm jellyfish and chicken salad, which showcases its gelatinous yet crunchy texture. Look for dried shrimp in plastic bags in the dried food aisle in Asian markets.
Made with water, salt, wheat gluten, sugar and other ingredients, Maggi sauce is a liquid seasoning produced by Nestlé. Many Asian chefs and homemakers refer to Maggi sauce as seasoned and sweetened soy sauce.
½ lb jellyfish, julienned
½ onion, sliced
one ½-inch-thick slice ginger
1 whole star anise
1 chicken leg, skin on
1 Tbsp dried shrimp
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp red rice vinegar
½ tsp Maggi sauce
¼ tsp sesame oil
1 sprig fresh cilantro, in 1-inch lengths
2 green onions, white part only, in 1-inch lengths
IN A SMALL POT, bring 1 cup water to a gentle boil. Add 1 cup cold water and jellyfish. Blanch for 20 seconds, then drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water for 2 minutes. Set aside and allow jellyfish to drain.
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups cold water, onions, ginger and star anise to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and poach for 20 to 30 minutes. (To test for doneness, poke a knife into the thickest part of the leg. If the juices run clear, the meat is cooked through.) Set the chicken and poaching liquid aside.
Combine 1 cup cold water and 1 cup ice cubes in a large bowl, then quickly plunge chicken leg into the ice water for 5 minutes. Drain off water and pat chicken dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, remove and discard skin and bones, then julienne the meat.
Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large, clean bowl. Pour the poaching liquid through the sieve, skimming off and discarding any fat. Ladle ½ cup of this clear broth back into the medium saucepan and set it on low heat. Add shrimp and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until broth is reduced to about 1 Tbsp. Add garlic and vinegar and stir for 10 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in jellyfish, chicken, Maggi sauce, sesame oil, cilantro and green onions. Serve at room temperature.