A Cantonese dish at its simplest and best. The fresh scallops are steamed with just a touch of garlic, then served with a sauce to add zest to their natural sweetness. The details of preparation, seemingly elaborate, are nevertheless worth observing if you wish to make this simple yet sophisticated dish.

Ingredients

20 large scallops
peanut or corn oil for deep-frying
6 or 8 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
4 or 6 large scallions, green parts only, cut into rounds
For the sauce
4 or 6 large scallions, white parts only, cut into silken threads
3 to 4 tablespoons peanut or corn oil
3⁄4 inch (2 centimetres) fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into silken threads
3 or 4 fresh green chillies, seeded and cut into rounds
2 tablespoons thick soy sauce
2 tablespoons thin soy sauce
2 tablespoons water

Directions:

Ask the fishmonger to open the scallops on the cup side of the shells rather than on the flat side. If they have already been opened on the flat side, ask for the cup shells, so that you can transfer the scallop meat to them. Remove the frills or rims, sandy and black impurities and the muscles, leaving only the white meat and the corals or roes. Separate the corals from the meat and save them for another recipe or freeze them. Rinse the scallop meat and pat dry, leaving them on the shells.


Prepare the sauce: Divide the scallions into 2 portions and put into 2 serving bowls. Heat a wok until smoke rises. Add the oil and swirl it around.

Lower the heat and add the ginger and chillies. Remove from the heat. After a few seconds, add the soy sauces and water and bring to simmering point. Pour this mixture over the scallions in the bowls.

Half fill a wok or deep fryer with oil. Heat to a temperature of 350°F (180°C) or until a cube of stale bread browns in 60 seconds. Put the garlic into a small wire sieve. Dip the sieve into the oil quickly 3 or 4 times, or until the garlic has taken on colour. Save the oil for the other deep-frying purposes.

Place 4 or 5 pieces of garlic and the same amount of green scallions on each scallop. Place the scallops in a wok or steamer; some shells can perch on top of other shells as long as they are not pressing down on the meat.

Steam over high heat for about 7 to 10 minutes. The scallops will be opaque and be just cooked. There will be juice in the shell.

Remove each shell, taking care not to spill the juice, and put on a large serving platter or on individual plates. Serve hot.

To eat, put a small amount of sauce on the meat, then break it up to absorb the sauce. As host or hostess, do encourage your guests to pick up the shell and drink the tasty juice as well. Makes 6 to 8 servings.