Oil-Blast Shrimp
Shrimp flash-fried in hot oil until the shells turn crisp and red, in a lightly sweet, savoury glaze.
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Jade Scallops with Egg-White Cloud
Golden-seared scallops on a cloud of softly scrambled egg white, ringed with jade-green asparagus. Adapted for a home kitchen from the original ClouChef R&D report — 碧绿百花带子, report 26.
Original poster image from clouchef.com (poster: 碧绿百花带子_26.jpeg). This is the hero poster only, not a step-by-step photo set.
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 5 minutesTotal: 15 minutesServings: 2Difficulty: MediumRegion: CantoneseFlavour: Delicate-savoury (scallop and egg white)
Why this works
The visual trick of this dish — a white cloud, gold scallops, green asparagus — is also its cooking logic, because each element needs different heat and must be finished separately. The scallops are patted completely dry and dusted with starch, then seared at 180 °C for ninety seconds on one side and sixty on the other: long enough to caramelise the outside and cook the centre past 63 °C, short enough to stay tender inside. The egg whites, whipped in a scrupulously oil- and water-free bowl to stiff peaks, are then folded in the same pan on low heat for just thirty seconds, so they set into a soft cloud rather than a dry scramble — overworking them here collapses the very foam that gives the dish its name. Asparagus, blanched thirty seconds and shocked in ice water, keeps its colour and bite and frames the plate without competing for attention. Serve it the moment it is plated, before the cloud has any chance to settle or cool.
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Ingredients
| Ingredient | US | Metric | Substitute / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh scallops, shelled, 3–4 cm diameter | 4.6 oz | 130 g | Large dry-packed scallops; avoid wet-packed scallops, which weep water and never sear (adaptation). |
| Asparagus, middle sections | 3.2 oz | 90 g | Trimmed, lower half peeled, cut diagonally into 4 cm pieces. |
| Egg whites, chilled | 3 whites | 90 g | In an oil-free, water-free bowl for whipping. |
| Salt | ½ tsp | 2 g | Used in two parts: 1 g for the scallops, 1 g for the whites. |
| Sugar | ½ tsp | 3 g | 1 g for the whites; the rest to season, per the report's split use. |
| MSG | Pinch | 1 g | Optional; omit if you prefer (adaptation). |
| Corn starch | 2 tsp | 10 g | 5 g for velveting the scallops, 5 g for thickening if needed. |
| Cooking wine | 1 tsp | 5 ml | Shaoxing wine, for the scallops. |
| Neutral cooking oil | 2 tbsp | 30 ml | 15 ml for the scallops, 15 ml for the egg white. |
| XO sauce or black truffle sauce, to brush the plate (optional) | To taste | To taste | Per the report's plating note; a small brushstroke around the rim. |
Equipment
- Electric whisk for the egg whites
- Flat-bottomed skillet or non-stick pan
- Paper towels for drying the scallops
Steps
- Prepare. Pat the scallops completely dry with paper towels, then toss with 1 g salt, the cooking wine and 5 g corn starch and marinate for 5 minutes — dry scallops are the control point against a coating that slips off. Trim the asparagus, peel the lower half, cut diagonally into 4 cm pieces, blanch for 30 seconds in salted, oiled water, then shock in ice water and drain.
- Whip the egg whites. Place the egg whites in a completely oil-free and water-free bowl with 1 g salt and 1 g sugar. Whip on medium speed with an electric whisk for about 3 minutes until stiff peaks form — the whisk lifted should hold a straight little tip.
- Sear the scallops. Heat 15 ml oil in a skillet to about 180 °C (just smoking). Sear the scallops on high heat for 90 seconds on one side until golden, flip and sear for 60 seconds more. The centres must reach at least 63 °C / 145 °F. Remove and set aside.
- Make the egg-white cloud. In the same pan without washing it, add 15 ml oil and turn to low heat. Pour in the whipped whites and push gently with a spatula for 30 seconds until they set into a soft cloud. Do not stir vigorously or overcook — the foam must stay puffy.
- Plate. Spoon the egg-white cloud onto the plate, set the seared scallops on top, and ring with the asparagus. If using XO or truffle sauce, brush a thin circle around the rim of the plate. Serve at once — the cloud waits for no one.
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Technique: dry scallops, clean bowl, gentle hand
Three small disciplines make this dish: scallops dried until no moisture shows on the paper towel, a bowl for the whites that has no trace of oil or water (either prevents stiff peaks), and a spatula that pushes rather than stirs the foam. Break any one and the effect collapses — wet scallops steam instead of searing, a greasy bowl gives soft foam, and hard stirring turns the cloud into ordinary scrambled egg.
Variations
- No asparagus: use blanched green beans or sugar snaps for the green ring (adaptation).
- Extra flavour: season the cloud with a pinch of white pepper before plating (adaptation).
Frequently asked questions
Why won't my egg whites whip?
The bowl or whisk had oil or water on it, or a trace of yolk got in. Wash and dry everything, separate carefully, and try again.
Why didn't my scallops brown?
They were wet, or the pan was not hot enough. Dry them thoroughly and wait for the oil to just smoke.
Can I use frozen scallops?
Yes, if fully thawed and then patted very dry; wet-packed scallops need extra drying and may still sear poorly.
Storage and freezing
Best eaten immediately; the egg-white cloud collapses within minutes and the scallops toughen on reheating. Do not keep leftovers. The components can be prepared ahead (scallops dried, asparagus blanched, whites separated) and assembled in 5 minutes.
Jade Scallops with Egg-White Cloud — Recipe Card
Seared scallops on a whipped egg-white cloud with asparagus.
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 5 minutesTotal: 15 minutesServings: 2
Ingredients: 130 g scallops; 90 g asparagus; 90 g egg whites; 2 g salt; 3 g sugar; 1 g MSG (optional); 10 g corn starch; 5 ml cooking wine; 30 ml oil; optional XO or truffle sauce.
Steps: 1) Dry and velvet scallops; blanch asparagus. 2) Whip whites to stiff peaks. 3) Sear scallops 90 + 60 seconds. 4) Set egg-white cloud 30 seconds on low heat, plate and serve at once.
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Source note: ingredients, quantities and steps are adapted from the original ClouChef R&D report for 碧绿百花带子 (data/reports/26.md). The report's pricing, margin and marketing sections are deliberately omitted here; no B2B cost is presented as a home-cook cost. The dry-packed scallop note, the MSG option and the asparagus substitute are adaptations and are labelled as such. Original poster image: clouchef.com (碧绿百花带子_26.jpeg).