The whole braised shark fin at Nan-en, our Chinese restaurant, features a gelatinous texture that melts in your mouth, combined with the crispiness of golden threads and a rich, flavorful soup. The key to this dish is our traditional soup, which has been made using the same recipe since the opening of our hotel.
The ingredients include pork leg, whole chicken, and Jinhua ham. While some places only use chicken bones or carcasses, at Nan-en, we start by simmering the meat itself to extract a deeper and richer flavor. The balance between the pork leg, which adds depth, and the lightness of the chicken is crucial. We carefully monitor the heat to prevent the soup from boiling, as boiling can impart an undesirable taste to the soup. The soup is simmered for over 7 hours, with the chef standing by the large pot, ensuring the perfect temperature. As the steam rises from the pot, the aroma of the rich and flavorful soup fills the kitchen, resulting in a clear, amber-colored, exquisite soup.
“Shark fin itself has little to no flavor and only a slippery texture, so the taste is determined by the soup it is cooked in. That’s why the soup is so important,” says Li Guochao, Nan-en’s Executive Chef, who has been learning the art of making this soup since the hotel’s opening. This traditional soup is used exclusively for cooking shark fin and abalone, and by adding chicken bones, it becomes a lighter soup for noodle dishes. Removing the Jinhua ham makes it suitable for course meal soups, showcasing its versatility as a base for many dishes.
Our traditional soup has been supporting the flavors of Nan-en’s dishes throughout the years, whether it be for classic or modern recipes. This amber-colored soup, which enhances the natural flavors of the ingredients and stimulates the appetite, carries the history of our hotel.
