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Traditional Cantonese Poon Choi

groups8 servingsspeedHardcountertopsPrep: 60 minsskilletCook: 75 minsscheduleTotal: 135 minsoutdoor_grillStewed
Allergens:warningShellfishwarningFishwarningSoywarningGlutenwarningSulphites

Allergen labels are AI-generated and may be incomplete or wrong. If you have a food allergy, always verify every ingredient yourself.

Recipe details are AI-generated from the video and may contain errors — for reference only.

skilletInstruction

17 Steps Total
01
Active Cooking
00:00:25
warningStay safe

Hot oil can easily splatter and cause burns; slide ingredients gently along the edge of the wok, do not drop them in directly.

Place carrot, radish, and yam cubes into hot oil in a wok and fry until surfaces are golden and cooked through, then remove.

local_fire_departmentMedium-high heat, about 3 minutes
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Watch out

Oil must be hot before adding ingredients, otherwise the yam and radish will absorb too much oil and become soggy.

Ingredients:Carrot (1 piece)radish (1 piece)Yam (300 g)
Tools:skimmerwok
02
Active Cooking
00:00:30
warningStay safe

If prawns have moisture on the surface when entering hot oil, it will cause severe splattering; dry them thoroughly before cooking.

Place prawns into hot oil and fry until shells are crispy and turn bright red, then remove.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, about 60 seconds
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Watch out

Do not fry prawns too long, otherwise the shrimp meat will shrink, dry out, and lose its sweetness.

Ingredients:prawns (peeled) (8 piece)
Tools:wok
03
Preparation
00:00:45

Place dried scallops into a bowl and add enough clean water to just cover them.

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Watch out

Do not add too much water, otherwise the umami flavor will be overly diluted.

Ingredients:dried scallop (10 piece)
Tools:bowl
04
Active Cooking
00:00:50
warningStay safe

When lifting the steamer lid, scalding steam will rush upward; tilt the lid outward to avoid steam burns to hands and face.

Place the bowl of scallops into a steamer pot, cover, and steam for 50 minutes until scallops are softened and flavorful.

local_fire_departmentMedium heat, 50 minutes
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Watch out

Check the water level in the steamer pot periodically during steaming to prevent it from boiling dry and damaging the cookware.

Ingredients:dried scallop
Tools:steamer pot
05
Active Cooking
00:01:00
warningStay safe

The bowl just taken from the hot steamer is extremely hot; you must use tongs or heat-resistant gloves, otherwise fingers will be severely burned.

Take out the steamed scallops and pour all the scallop essence liquid from the bowl into a small pot for later use.

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Watch out

Pour the liquid slowly to avoid pouring in any sediment at the bottom of the bowl.

Tools:small pot
06
Active Cooking
00:01:05

Place broccoli into boiling water and boil until it turns vibrant green and tender-crisp, then remove and plate.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, about 2 minutes
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Watch out

Do not boil too long, otherwise the broccoli will turn yellow and soft, losing its texture completely.

Ingredients:broccoli (1 piece)
Tools:pot
07
Active Cooking
00:01:09

Add one tablespoon of vinegar to the boiling water, add lotus root slices and boil until cooked through, then remove and place next to the broccoli.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, about 3 minutes
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Watch out

Adding vinegar to the water prevents the lotus root from turning black, keeping its clean white color.

Ingredients:lotus root (1 piece)Chinese Fragrant Black Vinegar (1 tbsp)
Tools:pot
08
Active Cooking
00:01:16

Pour dried scallop essence, chicken stock, and canned abalone sauce into a small pot, then add 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons abalone sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar, mix well and bring to a boil.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat until boiling, about 5 minutes
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Watch out

Seasonings must be completely dissolved after adding, otherwise the bottom will easily burn and clump up.

Ingredients:Chicken Stock or Water (1 l)abalone sauce (2 tbsp)oyster sauce (2 tbsp)soy sauce (2 tbsp)Chinese cooking wine (2 tbsp)Salt (1 tsp)sugar (1 tsp)dried scallop
Tools:small pot
09
Preparation
00:02:48

Line the bottom of a large basin with Chinese cabbage, then layer the fried carrot, yam, radish, lotus root, and garlic on top.

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Watch out

Chinese cabbage must be spread flat at the very bottom to absorb all the essence and prevent upper ingredients from burning against the pot base.

Ingredients:Chinese cabbage leaf (1 piece)CarrotYamradishlotus rootGarlic (1 piece)
Tools:large pot
10
Preparation
00:03:03

Place fish balls, glass noodles, mushrooms, fish maw, sea cucumber, artificial scallops, braised duck, roasted chicken, and roasted pork on top of the vegetable layer.

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Watch out

Meats should be spread out evenly to avoid crowding on one side and uneven heating.

Ingredients:Fish ball (10 piece)glass noodle (100 g)mushroom (200 g)dried fish maw (150 g)rehydrated sea cucumber (200 g)artificial scallop (10 piece)braised duck (300 g)roasted chicken (300 g)roasted pork (300 g)
Tools:large pot
11
Preparation
00:03:54

Arrange mushrooms, dried oysters, steamed dried scallops, and Chinese sausage on the top layer.

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Watch out

Top layer ingredients should be arranged neatly and aesthetically, as this is the first visual presentation when served.

Ingredients:mushroomdried oyster (6 piece)dried scallopChinese sausage (2 piece)
Tools:large pot
12
Active Cooking
00:04:36
warningStay safe

Must use heat-resistant gloves when moving the heavy basin filled with hot soup; it is very heavy and extremely hot, be careful not to slip.

Pour the prepared essence broth evenly into the large basin, cover, and steam for 45 minutes to let all ingredients absorb the broth.

local_fire_departmentMedium heat, 45 minutes
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Watch out

Pour the broth evenly to ensure bottom cabbage and middle ingredients can absorb the flavors.

Tools:steamer pot
13
Active Cooking
00:04:41
warningStay safe

Watch out for hot steam when opening the lid; keep your body and face away from directly above the steamer.

After steaming for 45 minutes, open the lid and pour a portion of the soup into a small pot to use later for thickening.

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Watch out

Ladle gently so as not to disturb the arranged presentation of ingredients on top.

Tools:ladle
14
Active Cooking
00:04:55

Layer abalone slices, abalone, Pacific clams, and sea asparagus into the pot, cover, and steam for another 15 minutes.

local_fire_departmentMedium heat, 15 minutes
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Watch out

Seafood ingredients should not be added too early for steaming, otherwise the texture will become tough and lose elasticity.

Ingredients:Abalone slices (10 slice)abalone (10 piece)Pacific clam (10 piece)sea asparagus (100 g)
Tools:steamer pot
15
Preparation
00:05:38

Neatly arrange the boiled broccoli in a circle around the edge of the pot as garnish.

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Watch out

Arrange broccoli densely to form a beautiful green border.

Ingredients:broccoli
Tools:large pot
16
Preparation
00:06:10

Neatly arrange the fried prawns inside the broccoli border to form a nice circle of prawns.

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Watch out

The orientation of the prawns should be consistent for a more aesthetic appearance.

Ingredients:prawns (peeled)
Tools:large pot
17
Active Cooking
00:06:33

Thicken the soup in the small pot with starch slurry until glossy, then drizzle it evenly over the surface of the Poon Choi to finish.

local_fire_departmentMedium-low heat, about 2 minutes
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Watch out

Stir constantly when thickening with starch, otherwise it will clump and stick to the bottom, burning.

Ingredients:all-purpose flour (2 tbsp)
Tools:small potladle

groceryAll Ingredients

prawns (peeled)8 piece
Chinese sausage2 piece
Fish ball10 piece
dried scallop10 piece
Carrot1 piece
radish1 piece
Yam300 g
broccoli1 piece
lotus root1 piece
Abalone slices10 slice
Pacific clam10 piece
abalone10 piece
sea asparagus100 g
dried oyster6 piece
oyster sauce2 tbsp
abalone sauce2 tbsp
soy sauce2 tbsp
Chinese cooking wine2 tbsp
Salt1 tsp
sugar1 tsp
all-purpose flour2 tbsp
braised duck300 g
roasted chicken300 g
roasted pork300 g
rehydrated sea cucumber200 g
dried fish maw150 g
Chinese cabbage leaf1 piece
Garlic1 piece
glass noodle100 g
mushroom200 g
Chicken Stock or Water1 l
Chinese Fragrant Black Vinegar1 tbsp
artificial scallop10 piece

blenderAll Tools Needed

skimmerwokbowlsteamer potsmall potpotlarge potladle