Shandong Province — considered the pinnacle of Lu (Shandong) cuisine, China's oldest and most formally codified culinary tradition
Cong shao hai shen: the most celebrated dish of Shandong (Lu) cuisine and a benchmark of Chinese banquet cooking. Reconstituted sea cucumber braised in a rich sauce of spring onion-infused oil, oyster sauce, soy, and chicken stock, then thickened to a glossy glaze. The spring onion (cong) is the essential flavouring — its sweetness complementing the sea cucumber's oceanic richness.
Deeply savoury, richly glazed, with spring onion sweetness amplifying the sea cucumber's mineral oceanic quality
{"Sea cucumber reconstitution: 3–5 days minimum, changing water daily","Spring onions slow-fried in oil until golden — they become the flavour base","Sauce must be thickened to proper glaze consistency — not runny, not stiff","Sea cucumber absorbs flavours but is naturally bland — the sauce is everything"}
{"Soak sea cucumber in clean water (no soap) in the refrigerator — room temperature can cause spoilage","The best sea cucumbers for this dish are thorny varieties from Shandong coast","Some chefs add Shaoxing wine at the beginning to eliminate any residual seafood smell"}
{"Insufficient reconstitution time — sea cucumber remains firm and smells unpleasant","Burning the spring onions — they must be golden, not brown","Thin sauce — the glaze should coat each piece thickly"}
Land of Fish and Rice — Fuchsia Dunlop