Fo Tiao Qiang

Fo Tiao Qiang — "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" — is Fujian's most storied banquet dish, named for the legend that its aroma was so irresistible it would tempt even a meditating monk to leap over a monastery wall. A Fuzhounese creation dating to the Qing dynasty, it is a long-braised pot combining abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, pork knuckle, quail eggs, bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms in a rich Shaoxing wine broth. This version is a home-scale adaptation that preserves the spirit of the dish.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz) dried sea cucumber, rehydrated over 48 hours, sliced
• 150g (5 oz) dried fish maw, rehydrated 12 hours
• 300g (10 oz) pork belly, cut into 4cm (1½ in) chunks
• 200g (7 oz) canned abalone, sliced (reserve liquid)
• 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked 2 hours
• 100g (3½ oz) bamboo shoots, sliced
• 8 quail eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
• 1 liter (4 cups) good quality chicken or pork stock
• 150ml (⅔ cup) Shaoxing rice wine
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 10g (⅓ oz) dried tangerine peel
• 5cm (2 in) fresh ginger, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 spring onions, tied in a knot

Instructions

1. Blanch pork belly in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse.
2. In a clay pot or heavy Dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Add stock, abalone liquid, Shaoxing wine, both soy sauces, and oyster sauce.
3. Bring to a boil. Skim any foam carefully.
4. Reduce to the lowest possible heat, cover tightly, and braise for 2.5–3 hours. Check periodically to ensure there is enough liquid, adding stock as needed.
5. Remove spring onion knot and ginger before serving.
6. Serve directly from the pot at the table — the presentation of lifting the lid is part of the ceremony.

Cook's Notes: Rehydrating sea cucumber properly takes two full days — change the water twice daily and keep refrigerated. The dish is genuinely better the second day. Serve with steamed white rice to absorb the extraordinary braising liquid.