Chinese New Year is around the corner and that means it’s time to gear up for reunions and lots of feasting. One of the star delicacies we look forward to is abalones — juicy, chewy, and tender shellfish that are oh-so-delicious. Shaped like golden ingots, abalones symbolize good fortune. Its Chinese name, bao yu, also loosely translates to ‘guaranteed prosperity’ — which is why it’s a long-time tradition to enjoy them as we usher in the new year. If you’re in charge of preparing your reunion dinner this 2024, read our guide on how to cook abalone and our list of fresh and canned abalone recipes that are sure to wow your guests!
Recipe Ingredients
Canned abalone recipes for CNY 2024
1. Braised abalone with mushrooms recipe
One of the most classic and popular recipes for canned abalones is to braise them with mushrooms. Mushrooms and abalones go together like one true pair — and when braised with quality ingredients, get ready for a burst of delicious flavour with every bite!
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Recipe ingredients:
- 36 pcs canned baby abalone
- 1L chicken stock
- 100ml water
- 20g Jin hua ham, cubed
- 2 tbsp abalone sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- ¼ tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp hua tiao wine
- 8 soaked Chinese dried mushrooms
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
- 150g baby bok choy
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch solution
Recipe instructions:
- Pour chicken stock into a pressure cooker and add jin hua ham, abalone sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and hua tiao wine (all available on Shopee Supermarket)
- Add washed baby abalones (available on Hosen Group Official Store) and Chinese dried mushrooms (available on Gin Thye) and cook for 15 – 20 minutes with the lid covered
- In a separate wok, bring water to a boil and add salt and oil
- Blanch baby bok choy (available on sm.sg) in boiling water for two to three minutes
- Drain and set aside bok choy, and plate them together with mushrooms and abalones
- Pour 100ml water to the wok and add 100ml of braising liquid from the pressure cooker
- Add sugar to taste and thicken the mixture with cornstarch solution
- Mix well and pour sauce over the dish to serve
2. Braised abalone with spinach recipe
CNY reunion spreads are all about auspicious ingredients. Apart from abalones, Chinese spinach is another ingredient associated with prosperity due to its reddish roots — a colour that symbolises joy and good fortune. If you’re looking for ways on how to cook canned abalone, try this recipe that teaches you how to braise them with Chinese spinach. You’ll get to enjoy a colourful, decadent abalone dish that’s nutrient-rich too!
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Servings: 6
Recipe ingredients:
- 1 canned abalone in brine
- 10 pcs dried scallops
- 1 bulb garlic with skin
- 1L water
- Half a can of abalone brine
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 220g Chinese spinach
- 2 tbsp cornstarch solution
Recipe instructions:
- Add abalone (available on Shopee Supermarket), dried scallops (available on SnackFirst Official Store), water, brine from canned abalone, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and garlic in a pressure cooker
- Put the lid on and cook for 1.5 hours
- In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and add salt
- Blanch Chinese spinach (available on Market Boy) until soft and drain the water
- Remove the garlic from the stock used to cook the abalone
- Add 100ml of stock into a pot and mix with 100ml of water
- Thicken it with cornstarch solution
- Plate the spinach and abalone and drizzle the gravy over to serve!
3. Abalone and fish maw soup recipe
Abalone and fish maw soup is a festive dish that you should definitely try out this CNY. It is relatively simple to put together, so if you’re not sure how to cook canned abalone, follow this beginner-friendly canned abalone recipe!
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 – 10
Recipe ingredients:
- 1 can baby abalones
- 200g crab meat
- 200g fried fish maw
- 3 eggs
- 1 cube chicken stock
- 1 tbsp seasoning
- Handful of coriander, chopped
- Handful of spring onion, chopped
- Salt
- Pepper
- Vinegar
- Sugar
- Potato starch
Recipe instructions:
- Boil fish maw (available on Ken Ken Official Store) for 5 – 10 minutes and slice them thinly
- Add 1L water to pot and bring it to a boil
- Once it starts boiling, add one cube of chicken stock and seasoning (both available on Shopee Supermarket)
- Add fish maw, abalones (available on Shopee Supermarket), crab meat (available on Seaco) and let it boil
- Add cornstarch to the soup and stir to prevent it from sticking to the bottom
- Beat the eggs
- Pour and swirl the eggs in one single direction while the soup is lightly boiling to achieve a nice egg flower
- Add a dash of vinegar (available on Shopee Supermarket) according to your liking, and serve!
4. Stir fried abalone recipe
While canned abalone can be enjoyed straight from the can, stir frying them with a plethora of spices and sauces can make a huge difference. This delicious stir fried canned abalone recipe is a classic way of preparing abalones, and can be done within 30 minutes!
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings:5
Recipe ingredients:
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sherry cooking wine
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- ½ lettuce head
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 can abalone, thinly sliced
Recipe instructions:
- Add chicken stock, sherry cooking wine, salt, sugar, pepper, and oyster sauce in a bowl and mix well.
- Add water into a pot and bring to a boil
- Submerge lettuce (available on Fruit’ Alive) in boiling water and cook over high heat for one minute
- Strain lettuce and let it cool in cold water
- Next, pour the sauce mixture into a wok and add sliced abalone (available on Shopee Supermarket) over medium heat for one to two minutes
- Add cornstarch solution to the mixture to thicken it
- Line the lettuce on a plate and pour the abalone and sauce over it to serve
Fresh abalone recipes
5. Sautéed abalone recipe
Fresh abalone recipes tend to be much simpler and easier compared to most canned abalone recipes, with a focus on adding flavour to them. It is recommended to only cook them for a few minutes. Avoid overcooking the abalone or it will affect its texture.
This sautéed abalone recipe is perfect for those who love a buttery, savoury flavour! It is also one of the simplest fresh abalone recipes that’s easy to create even if it is your first time.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Servings: 3 – 4
Recipe ingredients:
- 12 frozen abalones, thawed
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- Half a lemon, juiced
- 4 tbsp fish stock
- Spring onion, chopped
- Red chilli padi, chopped
Recipe instructions:
- Score abalones (available on TankFully Fresh Official Store) crosswise
- Melt unsalted butter (available on Pastry Mart Official Store) in a pan and add minced garlic and ginger in to fry until fragrant
- Add fish stock (available on Seafood Market Place by Song Fish) and lemon juice into the mixture and bring to a small boil
- Add abalones to the pan and cook for one minute, toss it periodically
- Plate it with a dash of spring onions (available on The Village By CCL) and chilli padi and serve!
6. Steamed abalone recipe
Another way to enjoy fresh abalones is to steam them along with a myriad of ingredients to add flavour. This easy fresh abalone recipe is quick and fuss-free, yet promises a juicy, tender and flavoursome plate of abalones. If you’re short on time, this is the recipe for you!
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2
Recipe ingredients:
- 10 fresh abalones
- 1 whole garlic, minced
- 2 chilli peppers, minced
- 3 slices ginger, shredded
- Handful of spring onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp cooking wine
- ⅛ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp seafood soy sauce
- ⅛ tsp sugar
- ⅛ tsp chicken powder
Recipe instructions:
- After cleaning and deshelling fresh abalones (available on PickMe Official Store), lightly score the surface crosswise
- Marinade abalones in a bowl with cooking wine, ginger and white pepper for 10 minutes.
- Add peanut oil (available on Shopee Supermarket) into a pan under high heat
- Add half of the minced garlic into the pan and fry until golden brown
- Set aside the garlic in a bowl
- Add chilli peppers, the rest of the garlic, oyster sauce, seafood soy sauce (available on Shopee Supermarket), sugar, and chicken powder into the bowl and mix well
- Steam fresh abalones for 10 minutes and pour the sauce over each of them
- Garnish with spring onions and serve!
Fresh abalones vs canned abalones
Canned abalones are the most popular option to get during Chinese New Year as they’re the most convenient and require the least preparation. You can get canned abalone in brine (salt and water) which are lighter in flavour, or canned abalone in sauce which are tastier. They can both be consumed immediately, which is perfect for those who are not sure of how to cook abalone. Do be careful to not season them too much as they already contain a good amount of salt.
Fresh abalones, on the other hand, are highly perishable and recommended to be eaten as soon as possible. Fresh wild caught abalones are rarer, hence they tend to have a higher price tag. If you’re looking for something more affordable, you can look for fresh farmed abalones instead.
Types of abalone
| Type of abalone | Taste/texture | Best for |
| Canned abalone in brine | Flavorful and tender | Soup and stir fry recipes |
| Canned abalone in sauce | Serving with vegetables like spinach and mushrooms | |
| Fresh abalone | Fishy and crunchy | Grilling and steaming |
| Dried abalone | Rich and hard (requires soaking) | Simmering in broths and soups |
How to prepare & cook canned abalones?
How to wash fresh abalones?
Fresh abalone recipes tend to be quicker and simpler. However, the tedious part is in the cleaning. It is recommended to use a clean toothbrush to brush the side of the abalone. Next, use a spoon or a small knife to pry out the abalone from the side. After you’ve gotten the flesh out, brush the entire abalone shell clean, wash with water and set aside to dry.
After that, remove the guts from the abalone with a sharp knife. For this, simply let the viscera dangle down and slice it. Scrub the black film off the abalone and slice away the rough edges so that it is easier to eat.
Wow your fam with these fresh & canned abalone recipes this CNY 2024
With our guide on how to cook canned and fresh abalone, as well as the myriad of recipes in this list, we hope that your reunion dinner this CNY will be a sumptuous one! Not sure how to choose canned abalones? We’ve got you covered with a list of the best canned abalone in Singapore! If you’re hosting steamboat dinners too, check out our lowdown on the best steamboat pots in Singapore. Snag all your CNY essentials at awesome discounted prices at our Shopee CNY Sale!
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