Sea Cucumber Preparation (Hai Shen / 海参)
Ancient Chinese — Qing dynasty imperial cooking; Liaodong Peninsula and southern seas
Dried sea cucumber requires the most labour-intensive preparation of any Chinese ingredient: 5–7 days of soaking, blanching, and slow simmering to rehydrate completely. The finished product has a unique gelatinous, slippery texture with minimal flavour — it exists as a vehicle for the braising sauce. Quality Chinese sea cucumber comes from Liaodong Peninsula, Australia, and Japan (trepang varieties).