Abalone with Scallion Salt Sauce is a delicate and quick seafood dish. The abalone is sliced thin, blanched until perfectly tender, and paired with a fragrant scallion salt sauce. It’s rich in scallion aroma and full of umami. The method is simple—ready in minutes—and makes a perfect dish for entertaining guests.
Prep time: 25 minutes (including 10–15 minutes freezing time) | Cook time: 5 minutes | Serves: 2–3
🌴 Ingredients:
· Fresh live abalone, 6–8 (or frozen abalone slices, 300g / 10.5 oz. If buying live, ask the fishmonger to clean them for you—it saves a lot of time.)
🌴 For the Scallion Salt Sauce:
· Scallions (spring onions), 4–5 stalks (about 40g; use mostly the green parts for the freshest aroma; chopped, reserve a little for garnish)
· Minced ginger, a small piece (about 5g; don’t add too much, it shouldn’t overpower the scallion)
· Minced garlic, 3 cloves (about 10g)
· Salt, a pinch (about 1g; just for the scallion base flavor)
· White pepper powder, a pinch (about 0.5g; to remove the smell)
· Sesame oil, 1 tbsp (about 15ml)
· Cooking oil, 2 tbsp (about 30ml; for drizzling)
· Sichuan peppercorns, a few (about 1g; optional, for the hot oil)
· Toasted white sesame seeds, a little (for garnish)
🌴 Seasonings:
· Seasoned soy sauce for seafood (Steamed fish soy sauce), 2 tbsp (about 30ml; reduce to 1½ tbsp if you prefer less salty)
· Light soy sauce, 1 tbsp (about 15ml; can be reduced to ½ tbsp)
· Sugar, ½ tsp (about 2.5g)
· Water, 1 tbsp (about 15ml; to dilute the saltiness)
· Oyster sauce, ½ tsp (about 2.5g; optional, for umami)
· Chinkiang vinegar or lemon juice, a few drops (about 1ml; optional, for freshness and to cut the richness)
All spoon measures are level. Steamed fish soy sauce is thin and savory—use it as listed for the best flavor.
🌴 Instructions:
- Prepare the Abalone
Scrub the shells of the live abalone with a brush. Use a knife to pry the meat from the shell, remove the innards and teeth, and rinse clean. (If using frozen slices, simply thaw and rinse.) Freeze for 10–15 minutes, then slice into thin pieces about 2mm (⅛ inch) thick. Pat dry. ⚠️ Tip: Removing the innards and teeth thoroughly prevents any fishy smell. Freezing makes it easier to slice thinly and evenly. Slice about 2mm thick—too thin and they break; too thick and they won’t blanch evenly. - Blanch
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a few slices of ginger and 1 tbsp cooking wine, and keep the water at a rolling boil. Place the abalone slices in a slotted spoon and blanch for 10–15 seconds. As soon as the edges curl slightly and the color turns from translucent to milky white, remove immediately. ⚠️ Tip: Never blanch for too long—they’ll turn rubbery. Use plenty of water and keep it boiling so the temperature doesn’t drop and they blanch evenly. A slotted spoon makes it quick and easy. - Ice Bath
Immediately plunge the blanched abalone into a bowl of ice water. Soak until completely cold and bouncy to the touch. Remove, drain well, and gently pat dry with paper towels. Plate. ⚠️ Tip: The extreme temperature difference makes the meat bouncy. Draining and patting dry prevents excess water from diluting the sauce. (Optional: add a few slices of lemon or a few drops of white vinegar to the ice water to remove the smell and brighten the color.) - Make the Sauce
In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp steamed fish soy sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, ½ tsp sugar, and 1 tbsp water. For extra umami, add ½ tsp oyster sauce and a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice. Stir well. Drizzle it around the edge of the plate or directly over the abalone. ⚠️ Tip: Adding a tablespoon of water dilutes the saltiness—the soy sauces are already salty, so no extra salt is needed. Mix the sauce well before drizzling for even flavor. Drizzling around the edge of the plate looks better and lets you dip as you eat. - Make the Scallion Salt Sauce
In a small heatproof bowl, combine the chopped scallions, minced ginger, minced garlic, a pinch of salt, a pinch of white pepper, and 1 tbsp sesame oil. Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a pan (optional: add a few Sichuan peppercorns and remove them once fragrant). Heat the oil until slightly smoking, then pour half of it over the scallions—it should sizzle and release a strong aroma. Stir well, then pour the remaining half over them. ⚠️ Tip: The oil must be hot enough (slightly smoking) to release the aroma. Pouring it in two stages makes the scallion aroma stronger. Pour it over the scallions in a bowl instead of frying them in the pan. A pinch of salt is enough—the soy sauce will add more saltiness. Reserve a little chopped scallion for the final garnish for a brighter color. - Serve
Spoon the scallion salt sauce evenly over the abalone slices, and sprinkle with white sesame seeds and the reserved scallion. Serve immediately—it’s fresh, savory, and tender. ⚠️ Tip: Serve and eat it immediately—it will release water if left too long. You can reserve a little scallion salt sauce to add at the end for an extra burst of aroma.
💡 Tips:
Scrub the abalone, remove the innards and teeth (or ask the fishmonger to do it), freeze for 10–15 minutes, and slice into 2mm thin pieces. Use plenty of boiling water with ginger and cooking wine, blanch in a slotted spoon for just 10–15 seconds, and remove as soon as the edges curl and the color turns milky white—never overcook. Plunge immediately into ice water until cold and bouncy, drain, and pat dry. Mix the sauce with a tablespoon of water to dilute the saltiness, and drizzle it around the edge of the plate. For the scallion salt sauce, heat the oil until slightly smoking and pour it over the scallions in two stages. A pinch of salt is enough. Serve and eat immediately—it will release water if left too long. Done this way, it’s bursting with scallion aroma and the abalone is perfectly bouncy and fresh—elegant and delicious!
This Abalone with Scallion Salt Sauce is bursting with scallion aroma, with bouncy and fresh abalone—elegant and delicious. If you like this scallion-rich seafood style, you can also try my previously posted Scallion Oil Fish Slices . For more seafood recipes, check out my seafood category!
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