Serves: 6
Total Calories: 154

1/2 pound dried shark's fin
1 cup white meat chicken
cornstarch
1/4 cup smoked ham
1 to 2 stalk scallion
6 cups Stock, Chicken or favorite stock
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Soak and process shark's fin.

2. Shred chicken then dredge lightly in cornstarch. Mince smoked ham and scallion stalks.

3. Bring stock to a boil. Add shark's fin and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Add chicken simmer, covered, 10 minutes more.

4. Season with salt. Garnish with ham and scallion and serve.

NOTE: A rich clear stock should be used and the fins cooked until their gelatinous content dissolves partially, thickening the stock. The fins should be eaten when soft but still firm.

VARIATIONS:
* For the chicken, substitute any of the following: 1 cup crabmeat, picked over and flaked or 1/2 cup chicken and 1/2 cup crabmeat or 1 cup lobster meat.
* In the variation above, also add 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, shredded and 4 dried black mushrooms (soaked), shredded.
* In step 3, before adding the shark's fin, add to the stock 1 tablespoon sherry, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 slice fresh ginger root, minced.
* In step 3, add with the shark's fin 1/2 cup bamboo shoots and 1/4 cup water chestnuts, both minced.
* In step 4, after adding the salt, either stir in 1 to 2 egg whites, lightly beaten, until set or thicken the soup with a cornstarch paste made of 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons sherry, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce and 2 tablespoons cold water.

The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 6
Total Calories: 154
Calories from Fat: 17

More Recipes from the Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook Cookbook:
*Banquet Dishes
Bird's Nest Soup I
Bird's Nest Soup II
Peking Doilies
Peking Duck (Modified Version)
Peking Duck Dips
Shark's Fin Soup I
Shark's Fin Soup II
Shark's Fin in Ham Sauce
Steamed Chicken Stuffed with Bird's Nest
Winter Melon Pond
Winter Melon Pond Soup Ingredients: Chicken I
Winter Melon Pond Soup Ingredients: Chicken II
Winter Melon Pond Soup Ingredients: Chicken III
Winter Melon Pond Soup Ingredients: Duck I
Winter Melon Pond Soup Ingredients: Duck II
Winter Melon Pond Soup Ingredients: Subgum I
Winter Melon Pond Soup Ingredients: Subgum II