Asian Moon Scallop, dried Yam and Bone Soup | 日月魚准山排骨湯

In Hong Kong, Asian Moon Scallop is a common ingredient in our cuisine.  It is a type of bivalve which is gutted and dried before being sold to the market for making soup.

The fish-like appearance is the result of the cut when fishermen shuck the scallop and remove the guts.  After the fishermen collect a number of the scallop, they will tie them into a small bundle and dry them in the sun to strengthen the flavour and to preserve them.

Photo by: http://www.sealifebase.org/summary/Amusium-pleuronectes.html

 People in Hong Kong call these scallops "Yat-Yuet Fish".  "Yat" means "daytime 日" and "Yuet" means "moon 月".  The name probably comes from the red and white colour shell.

Asian Moon Scallop has a very similar taste to dried scallop.  It is a great substitute when you are looking for some inexpensive ingredients to make healthy soup.

Asian Moon Scallop, Fresh Yam and Bone Soup 日月魚准山排骨湯

INGREDIENTS:

10 Asian Moon Scallop, about 2 bundles

8 pcs Chinese Yam, dried

6 Pork Bones

4 Carrot, cut into big pieces

3 tablespoons Wolfberries, dried

2 tablespoons Bitter Apricot Kernels

Water

Salt to taste

材料：

10 日月魚乾，約2束

8 片  乾准山

6 塊  豬骨

4 條  紅蘿蔔，切大塊

3 湯匙  杞子乾

2 湯匙  南北杏

水

鹽  調味

DIRECTION:

1. Rinse the pork bones.  In a deep pot, add all ingredients together.  Fill the water enough to cover the ingredients.

2. Bring it to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-high and boil for another 45 minutes.  Season it with salt to taste.

做法：

1. 洗淨豬骨。在一只深鍋中，加入所有材料。加水； 水應蓋過湯料。

2. 把水和湯料煮滾，然後把火調低至中大火。繼續煮45分鐘，最後下鹽調味。

Asian Moon Scallop, Chinese Yam and Corn Soup | 日月魚淮山煲粟米蘿蔔湯

Before my mom told me those dried Chinese yam slices she brought me from Hong Kong were unbleached, I didn't know that some were bleached.  I always thought their white colour was natural.  Actually, the unbleached yams are a little off-white colour and are almost light grey.

Today it was a rather warm day so I decided to make some soup that was light and sweet.  The corn was in season.  four ears of corn sold for only one dollar.  Although they were small, it was good enough just to make soup.  I throw in the half bag of carrots that were left from the last weeks grocery, and a handful of lotus seeds and goji berries I always have on hand.  But when it came to the Asian moon scallops and Chinese Yam, I counted them like counting pearls before I put them into the soup pot.  Those were from my Mom who brought them from Hong Kong on her last visit.  They were memories and they are also expensive, I didn't want to finish them all too quickly.

Particularly the Asian moon scallops.  Mom said the taste of them are strong and the use of one bunch is already sufficient.  More than one is called a waste.  But I don't use them often, so I told myself two bunches was fine.  Since I didn't put any pork bone into the soup, the two bunches of scallops just brought the right taste to the soup.

You can always serve the soup with the ingredients inside.  Nothing should go to waste.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoy the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

2 bundles Asian Moon Scallops, about 10 pcs

7 pcs Chinese Yam, dried

3 Corn

4 Carrots

15-20 Lotus Seeds, dried, core removed

2 tablespoons Goji Berries

8 cups Water

Salt to taste

材料：

2 束  日月魚，若10條

7 塊  乾淮山

3 條  粟米

4 條  蘿蔔

15-20 粒  乾蓮子，去芯

2 湯匙  杞子

8 杯  水

鹽  調味

DIRECTION 做法:

1. Rinse all the ingredients.

2. In a deep pot, add all the ingredients and 8 cups of water.  Bring it to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce the heat to medium-high and continue to boil for another 40 minutes.  During the cooking process, add 1-2 cups of water if needed.  Season the soup with salt to taste.

1. 材料沖淨，加入湯鍋。

2. 加入8 杯水。用大火煮滾後再調至中大火，繼續煲若40分鐘。中途如需要可加1-2 杯水。最後下鹽調味。