Shark Fin Soup
Shark fin soup, or shark fin stew, is a fish soup believed to have originated from China. On the Chinese seas during the 1800s, pirates under the control of Ch'ing Yih Szaou used to make shark fin soup that took at least 4 hours to prepare.
Ingredients
Soup
- 400 g shark fins
- 100 g dried, ground shrimp
- 10 large dried Dongu mushrooms
- 50 g dried bamboo shoots
- 1 sliced ginger root
- 2 tbsp bacon fat
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp Chinese white wine
- ¾ liter chicken broth
- Fish stock from red-boiled fins
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Steps
- Clean fins and place in lukewarm water.
- Soak ground shrimp and dried mushrooms 30 min in ¼ litre warm water. Discard water.
- Soak dried bamboo until soft. Cut into thin strips.
- Clean and scale shark fins thoroughly. Place in 1 litre water and simmer 1 hour. Set water aside.
- Place fins in fresh litre of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1½ hours. Strain fins.
- Bring chicken broth to a boil in a separate pot. Add ginger and shrimp. Simmer 30 min.
- Remove from heat. Strain broth. Discard shrimp and ginger.
- Heat bacon fat in a separate pot. Add bamboo shoots, mushrooms and salt.
- Sauté 1 min. Add soy sauce, wine, broth, fish stock and fins. Boil over low heat, stirring frequently, 20 min.
- Remove from heat. Stir in corn starch slowly, in small increments. Sprinkle with sesame oil.
- Serve in large bowl. Fins should remain on the surface.
Source. Adapted from “Cookbook:Shark Fin Soup” by Wikibooks contributors, revision of 2026-02-01, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Changes. Steps rewritten into short commands. Introduction shortened. Wiki formatting removed. This adapted recipe is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.






