Sea Cucumber Stew

Step 1

Soak the 2 dried sea cucumbers in 2 cups water overnight until soft, then rinse and slice into bite-sized pieces.

Step 2

Soak the 6 dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes until softened, then slice off stems and halve caps.

Step 3

Cut the 300g pork belly into 2cm cubes. In a pot, sear over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Add the sliced sea cucumber, mushrooms, 3 ginger slices, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp salt to the pot.

Step 5

Pour in the 4 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Step 6

Simmer until the sea cucumber is tender and the broth is rich, about 1 hour total. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Step 7

Serve hot, garnished with chopped green onions if desired.