Bao yu

Bao yu
Cantonese-style braised abalone, with Chinese black mushrooms
Traditional Chinese	鮑魚
Simplified Chinese	鲍鱼
Jyutping	baau6*1 jyu4
Hanyu Pinyin	bao4 yu2
Literal meaning	abalone
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin bao4 yu2 Yue: Cantonese Jyutping baau6*1 jyu4

Bao yu is the common name given to the groups of Cantonese cuisine delicacy dishes using abalone as the featured ingredient. In Hong Kong and China there are a variety of dishes. Some are quite common, while others are regional if not exclusive to certain restaurants. Dishes made with abalone can range anywhere from moderate to very expensive in price.

Varieties

A number of cooking styles exist for abalone. The most common cooking technique is braising (Chinese: 燜; pinyin: mèn), which provides long-term steaming to render a tough ingredient quite tender and soft. There are also steamed and baked abalone dishes. Some are even cooked with the shell, and served in a shell-bowl. The interesting part is that the same ingredient can generate a wide variety of taste. Some cooking methods can generate a rough texture, while others may leave the abalone very smooth.

Side ingredients

The most common ingredients used to add flavor or absorb flavor are Chinese cabbage, dried scallops, straw mushrooms, Chinese black mushroom, and brocoli.