Sea cucumber is an ingredient that provides many nutrients beneficial for health. Therefore, today TasteVN will introduce you to 2 delicious and nutritious sea cucumber soup recipes with extremely simple formulas. Let’s get cooking and make this soup right now!
1. Sea cucumber and abalone soup with fish maw

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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking time
50 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Sea cucumber and abalone soup For 2 people
Sea cucumber 2 pieces Abalone 2 pieces Fish maw shredded 50 gr Dried shiitake mushrooms 20 gr (dry) Minced shallots 3 teaspoons Lemon 1 fruit Ginger 1 root Coriander a little Fish sauce 1 teaspoon Cornstarch 3 tablespoons Sesame oil 1 teaspoon Cooking oil 3 teaspoons Pepper 1/2 teaspoon
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose fresh abalone
- You should choose abalone with a thick, round body, full flesh, evenly shaped, and a red line in the middle.
- The flesh of the abalone should have good elasticity, be firm, and not slimy. When picked up, it should feel heavy and solid.
- It is advisable to choose abalone that is not too large or too small for sweeter, richer flesh.
How to choose and buy fish maw. Where to buy quality fish maw
- Choose fish maw that is bright yellow, shiny, and evenly colored. The fish maw will have uneven vertical stripes.
- Real fish maw will not tear easily when pulled apart, and it has a slightly fishy smell. However, this smell is very pleasant and not hard to tolerate.
- When soaked in water, real fish maw will become soft but still maintain its transparency and chewy texture. In contrast, fake fish maw will become mushy or not soft at all.
- You should buy fish maw at reputable seafood stores to ensure safety and product quality.
Utensils required
Clay pot, knife, cutting board, bowl, spoon,…
How to prepare Sea Cucumber Soup with Abalone and Fish Maw
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Prepare the seafood
Soak the shredded fish maw in water mixed with a bit of lemon juice and a few smashed ginger slices for 1 day.
Clean the abalone and sea cucumber, then cut them into bite-sized pieces.
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Prepare the mushrooms
Cut off the tough stems of the shiitake mushrooms, soak them in water for about 1 hour, then rinse them multiple times with water, drain, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
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Marinate the sea cucumber and abalone
Add the sliced abalone and sea cucumber into a bowl, add 2 teaspoons of minced shallots, 1 teaspoon of cooking oil, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, mix well, and marinate for 30 minutes to absorb the spices.
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Stir-fry the sea cucumber and abalone
Place a pot on the stove with 2 teaspoons of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon of minced shallots and sauté until fragrant.
Next, add the marinated abalone and sea cucumber and stir-fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
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Cooking soup
When the abalone and sea cucumber have been hunted, add them to 300ml of cold water and bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, simmering for 30 minutes.
Then add the mushrooms and fish maw, stir well and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch to a bowl, dilute with 2 tablespoons of water, then pour into the soup pot, stirring for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste, then turn off the heat, add a little chopped cilantro, and it’s ready to enjoy.
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Final product
The completed sea cucumber abalone fish maw soup has a distinctive aroma. The sea cucumber and abalone are naturally crunchy and sweet, while the fish maw is chewy and soft, combined with the rich and flavorful soup, making it incredibly appealing.
2. Sea cucumber chicken soup

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Preparation
40 minutes
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Processing
1 hour 30 minutes
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Difficulty level
Easy
Ingredients for Sea Cucumber Chicken Soup Serves 4
Chicken breast 300 gr Chicken feet 400 gr Sea cucumber 200 gr Chicken eggs 2 eggs Quail eggs 15 eggs Shiitake mushrooms 50 gr (fresh) Carrot 1 piece Minced shallots 2 teaspoons Minced garlic 1 teaspoon Coriander a little Oyster sauce 2 teaspoons White wine 1 teaspoon Soy sauce 2 teaspoons Corn starch 4 teaspoons Cooking oil 5 teaspoons Common seasoning a little (salt/ seasoning powder/ pepper)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh chicken feet
- Choose chicken feet that have a natural pink color, with the bones still red.
- When held, they should feel firm, with tight skin and good elasticity, not slimy.
- Avoid selecting chicken feet that are too plump, swollen, with wrinkled skin, and uneven sizes as these are feet that have been pumped with water.
- Do not choose chicken feet that have deformities, lumps, or bruises.
How to choose fresh chicken breast
- Choose chicken breast with white skin as this indicates that it is mature chicken, which will be chewier and tastier.
- When pressed, the meat should have good elasticity, be firm, dry, and not mushy.
- Avoid selecting pieces of chicken breast that have many white streaks as the more streaks there are, the less fat and protein it will contain.
How to choose fresh eggs
- For chicken eggs, you should choose eggs with a rough, slightly matte shell, dark brown in color, with a thin powdery coating. When shaken gently, if there is no movement, the egg is fresh; the more movement, the longer the egg has been stored.
- For quail eggs, choose eggs with vibrant, sturdy shells. When held up to a light, fresh eggs will have a pinkish interior and a yolk in the center.
- You should buy eggs from reputable grocery stores, supermarkets, or the TasteVN supermarket chain nationwide to ensure quality.
How to make Chicken Feet Sea Cucumber Soup
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Prepare the sea cucumber
Buy pre-prepared sea cucumbers, just rinse them clean and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Marinate the sea cucumber with 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of minced shallots, 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of white wine, mix well, and let it sit for 30 minutes to absorb the spices.
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Prepare the other ingredients
Clean the shiitake mushrooms and slice them thinly.
Peel the carrots, rinse them clean, and dice them. Wash the cilantro and chop it finely.
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Blanch the chicken feet
Clean the chicken feet and blanch them in boiling water for about 2 minutes.
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Cooking the broth
Put a pot of water on the stove and add the blanched chicken feet and chicken breast. Cook until the chicken breast is done, then remove it to cool.
Season the broth with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, and continue cooking for 1 hour.
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Shredding the chicken
After the chicken breast cools, shred it into small, bite-sized pieces.
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Sautéing sea cucumber and mushrooms
Heat a pan with 2 teaspoons of cooking oil and 1 teaspoon of minced shallots, sauté until fragrant, then add the sea cucumber and stir-fry for about 1 minute before transferring to a plate.
Next, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, then turn off the heat.
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Mix the flour and separate the eggs
Add 4 tablespoons of cornstarch and 50ml of filtered water into a bowl, stir well.
Separate the egg whites and egg yolks. Add 1 teaspoon of seasoning to the egg yolks and mix well. Add 3 teaspoons of cooking oil to the egg whites and mix well.
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Cook the soup
After boiling for 1 hour, remove the chicken feet, add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of seasoning, the sautéed mushrooms, and shredded chicken into the pot, stir well.
When the water boils, add the cornstarch mixture and stir for 5 minutes.
Then add the quail eggs and filtered egg whites in a clockwise motion through a sieve.
Next, add the filtered egg yolks in a clockwise motion, stir well, then add the sautéed sea cucumber, adjust the seasoning to taste, then turn off the heat, and add a little chopped cilantro for finishing.
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Final product
The sea cucumber chicken soup has a fragrant aroma. The sea cucumber is crispy and delicious, the chicken is tender and sweet, combined with the soup that is just right, the natural sweetness from the ingredients will be very stimulating to the taste buds!
How to choose fresh and delicious sea cucumber
- Choose sea cucumbers that are large, meaty, not sticky, with flesh spines protruding on the back.
- Dry sea cucumbers have a dark black color of the outer charcoal layer, have a natural smell, are completely dry, and are not moldy.
- You should buy sea cucumbers from reputable seafood stores to ensure product quality when using.
How to clean sea cucumbers properly, without a fishy smell
Fresh sea cucumber: After cleaning the insides, soak the sea cucumber in a mixture of alcohol and crushed ginger for about 30 minutes to eliminate the fishy smell, then rinse with water several times.
Dry sea cucumber:
- Soak in warm water for 12 – 16 hours to soften the meat, then use a knife to scrape the insides clean.
- Next, boil the sea cucumber in a pot of moderately hot water with a little crushed ginger for 30 minutes.
- When the meat is completely soft, take it out and soak it in cold water for about 10 minutes to make the meat crispier, and it is ready for processing.
How to choose good shiitake mushrooms
- Choose shiitake mushrooms that are naturally light brown in color, with the cap and stem intact and tightly connected.
- When picked up, the mushroom should feel light, dry, and have a faint characteristic aroma.
- Do not choose mushrooms that have a strange odor or show signs of mold.
How to soak shiitake mushrooms quickly to soften them
- Method 1: Soak the mushrooms in warm water at about 60 – 80 degrees Celsius for 7 – 10 minutes, then rinse them with water several times.
- Method 2: Rinse the mushrooms with water several times, then boil them in boiling water for about 3 – 5 minutes.
Above are 2 ways to make sea cucumber soup that are delicious and appealing with super quick and simple recipes. Let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen to treat the family!
*Refer to images and recipes from 2 YouTube channels: HIẾU TRẦN and #1 Đặc Sản Khô Sài Gòn – KHONIA Food.