Chinese Scallops Recipe: Melting-In-Mouth Scallops
Scallops taste just right when they have a creamy texture with a subtle hint of seasonings. If you make scallops following this original Chinese recipe, you will enjoy some of the best scallops you have ever eaten. Cleaning the scallops is probably the hardest part of the recipe.
Let me share the Chinese scallops recipe and show you how it is done in the right way. I will use only a few spices and seasonings to keep the flavor of the scallops as natural as possible. Read the recipe till the end and make it yourself.
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview
This is a quick recipe, which you can make in about 15 minutes. Check the crucial information about the recipe below.
| Course: Main | Cuisine: Chinese | Difficulty: Easy | ||
| Total Time: 15 minutes | ||||
| Serving | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories | |
| 2 persons | 8 minutes | 7 minutes | 137 kcal | |
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
Different recipes combine different carb options with the scallops. I used vermicelli to keep the texture as similar as possible. Here is the list of ingredients for this recipe.
- Scallops: 8 pcs
- Vermicelli: 100g
- Garlic: 3 tbsp, minced
- Pepper: 7-8 chili peppers, minced
- Oyster Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Light Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Scallion: 2 stalks, chopped
- Cooking Oil: 2-3 tbsp
Chinese Scallops Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
Once you have cleaned the scallops, the rest of the recipe is pretty simple. Here is a breakdown of the necessary steps.
Step 1: Clean the Scallop Meat
First, use a knife to pry open the scallop’s shells. Take the meat out carefully. Cut the black part off and discard it. Then, clean the scallop meat so that there are no impurities in it.
Step 2: Prepare the Spices
Mince garlic cloves and chop chili peppers. Heat oil in a ladle and put the spices into a bowl. Then, pour the hot oil into the bowl. Also, add 1 tbsp oyster sauce and 1 tbsp light soy sauce to the bowl.
Step 3: Top the Scallop Meat
Clean half of the scallop shells as well. Place the shells on a plate and put the scallop meat on the plate. Then, put some soaked vermicelli on top of the scallop meat.
Step 4: Pour Spice-Infused Oil
While the oil is still hot, pour one spoonful of the prepared spice mix onto each scallop meat.
Step 5: Steam the Scallops
Place the plate of the scallops in a steamer filled with boiling water. Cover the pot with the lid and steam the scallops for about 7 minutes.
You Can Also Try Chinese Pickled Cucumber Recipe
Step 6: Garnish and Serve
Put some chopped scallions into hot oil and drizzle the oil onto the steamed scallops. Delicious and nutritious Chinese scallops are ready!
Nutrition Facts of the Recipe
Scallop is a low-carb and low-calorie option that contains many essential nutrients. Each serving of these scallops has only 137 calories. You will find its nutritional values below.
- Total Carbohydrates: 6.3g
- Protein: 24g
- Total Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0.7g
- Total Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Total Sugar: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0g
- Sodium: 660mg
- Magnesium: 44mg
- Zinc: 1.8mg
- Selenium: 25.5mcg
- Vitamin B12: 2.5mcg
Do’s and Don’ts of the Recipe
You can follow the expert tips below to make these scallops more flavorful and avoid mess.
Do’s
- Clean the scallops on both sides to remove as much grime as possible. Otherwise, the scallops might not be healthy.
- Pour hot oil generously to give the scallops a searing sensation.
Don’ts
- Don’t hold the scallop meat too tightly. They are too soft and squishy.
- Don’t put too many spices in the scallops.
Chinese Scallops Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- First, use a knife to pry open the scallop’s shells. Take the meat out carefully. Cut the black part off and discard it. Then, clean the scallop meat so that there are no impurities in it.
- Mince garlic cloves and chop chili peppers. Heat oil in a ladle and put the spices into a bowl. Then, pour the hot oil into the bowl. Also, add 1 tbsp oyster sauce and 1 tbsp light soy sauce to the bowl.
- Clean half of the scallop shells as well. Place the shells on a plate and put the scallop meat on the plate. Then, put some soaked vermicelli on top of the scallop meat.
- While the oil is still hot, pour one spoonful of the prepared spice mix onto each scallop meat.
- Place the plate of the scallops in a steamer filled with boiling water. Cover the pot with the lid and steam the scallops for about 7 minutes.
- Put some chopped scallions into hot oil and drizzle the oil onto the steamed scallops. Delicious and nutritious Chinese scallops are ready!
FAQs
Check the answers to some common questions below. They might enlighten you a bit more about the recipe.
Why do I need to soak scallops in milk before cooking?
Scallops have a fishy odor that everyone might not like. If you soak them in milk before cooking, it will eliminate the odor a bit and make the scallops taste milder.
How long to soak scallops before cooking?
You don’t sweat this thing a lot. If you have time, you can soak them for 30 minutes. Soaking the scallops for about 10-15 minutes is okay if you are in a hurry.
How many scallops per person to eat?
It depends on the size of the scallops and the appetite of the person. An average adult can eat about 4 large scallops. Kids might get their bellies filled up with 2 scallops.
Can I reheat the scallops after storing them in the refrigerator?
You can, but I don’t recommend it. Scallops don’t taste that well if you reheat them. So, avoid storing scallops in the refrigerator and then reheating them.
Conclusion
You might have eaten pan-seared scallops a lot and they are popular for their bold flavors. In this recipe, the scallops are prepared more delicately to preserve the authentic flavor of the scallops. This Chinese scallops recipe is easy to make and tastes great.
I recommend you try this recipe and amaze everyone with the simple yet exotic flavor of the scallops. As scallops are low in carbs and calories, you can keep them on your menu more often than other high-calorie options.
