Imitation Shark Fin Soup (碗仔翅)

Imitation Shark Fin Soup 碗仔翅

Imitation Shark Fin Soup (Fake Shark Fin Soup; Faux Fin Soup) – 碗仔翅 “wun² zai² ci^3″ – literally meaning “small bowl fin”. It’s a popular classic Hong Kong street food that originated in the 1940s.

Don’t worry! It doesn’t contain any shark fins or shark meat at all.

Real Shark Fin Soup is an ancient delicacy from as far back as Tang and Song Dynasties. Mostly served at banquets or special occasions. We’re grateful that there’s increasing awareness of the cruel practices of shark finning. So more and more people are saying no to real Shark Fin Soup.

On the other hand, Imitation Shark Fin Soup was invented by street food cart vendors as a grassroots rendition of this expensive delicacy.

They creatively used Chinese vermicelli (粉絲) to replace shark fins (魚翅). Essentially, created a savory shredded chicken or pork and vermicelli thick soup. Somewhat resembles Hot and Sour Soup except it’s savory without the “hot” and “sour”, and with vermicelli.

Born as street food for everyone to enjoy, it’s budget-friendly, easy to make yet deliciously satisfying, comforting, and filling to eat.

Amy + Jacky’s Wun Zai Ci

It’s a lovely walk down memory lane as we recreate and savor this nostalgic street food from our hometown.

If you know us, Amy + Jacky won’t settle for ordinary. We love to stay true to classics yet take it up a notch with our refined flavorful touch.

So, we designed this recipe’s soup base with 3 flavor-enhancing elements – pork, chicken, and shiitake mushrooms. This packs layers of flavors with depth and complexity you won’t find in a classic bowl of Wun Zai Ci from street food vendors.

Umami thick soup jampacked with satisfying fillings. Tender juicy shredded pork, silky vermicelli, crunchy wood ear mushrooms & bamboo shoots, meaty shiitake mushrooms, mild egg aroma, highlighted with roasted sesame oil.

If you wish for a different flavor profile, add a hint of tanginess with Chinese red vinegar, and sprinkle some ground white pepper for a kick.

How to Make Imitation Shark Fin Soup

Imitation Shark Fin Soup Ingredients

Pork Shoulder. One of our favorite cuts of pork because it’s beautifully marbled with enough fat to keep the meat juicy while cooking. Pick one that has some nice marbling for the best results. For reference, we crafted this recipe with a 1.5-inch thick pork shoulder.

Chinese Vermicelli (粉絲 / 粉條 / 冬粉). Also known as bean thread vermicelli, mung bean vermicelli, glass noodles, or cellophane noodles. They’re transparent noodles made from starch and water. Often used to make spring rolls! They’re not the same as Korean glass noodles used in japchae though.

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms (冬菇 / 香菇). They impart a unique fragrant, umami-earthy flavor, and meaty velvety texture to the soup. If possible, use higher quality shiitake mushrooms because there can be a big difference in flavor, aroma, and texture. 

Dried Wood Ear Mushrooms (木耳). It’s also known as black fungus – edible fungi that add a satisfying crunch-chew texture to the soup.

Bamboo Shoots (竹筍). You may find edible bamboo shoots fresh, dried, or canned in various shapes. For convenience, consistency, and ease of access, we developed this recipe with canned bamboo shoots.

Soy Sauce 

We’re using both regular soy sauce and dark soy sauce in this recipe. Among different brands of soy sauces, Lee Kum Kee is one of our favorite go-to soy sauces.

• Regular Soy Sauce (生抽或醬油)
• Dark Soy Sauce (老抽) – It’s mostly for adding color and sweetness. So if you don’t have dark soy sauce, you can substitute it by adding a bit of sugar in the end.

Unsalted Chicken Stock. We develop recipes with unsalted ingredients so we can better control the flavors. If you’re substituting it with salted chicken stock, keep in mind that the sodium level can vary a lot between different brands. Always taste and adjust accordingly.

Chinese Red Vinegar (大紅浙醋). A rice vinegar that’s different from Chinkiang vinegar or red wine vinegar. It has a distinctive yet delicate aroma and mellow tartness. It’s usually used as a condiment for soup, or dipping sauce for dumplings and seafood.

Tools for Imitation Shark Fin Soup Instant Pot Recipe

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
• Wooden Spoon
• Pyrex Measuring Cups

Rehydrate Dried Mushrooms and Vermicelli

Rinse the dried shiitake mushrooms & wood ear mushrooms under tap water to remove any dirt or residue.

In a 500ml measuring cup or mixing bowl, rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms with 2 cups (500ml) 120°F warm water.

In 2 separate bowls, rehydrate dried wood ear mushrooms and vermicelli with 2 cups (500ml) warm water in each bowl. Soak them for 30 to 60 minutes until softened.

Prepare Other Ingredients

Shiitake Mushrooms: Once the shiitake mushrooms are rehydrated and softened, squeeze all the liquid out of the mushrooms, remove the stems, then slice them thinly. 

Wood Ear Mushrooms: Roughly chop the wood ear mushrooms.

Vermicelli: Cut rehydrated vermicelli to 4″ – 6″ long.

Optional: Brown Pork Shoulder in Instant Pot

Heat up Instant Pot by using the “Sauté More” function. With newer Instant Pot models, you may have to press the “Start” button.

Wait until it says “HOT” on the screen. This takes roughly 8 minutes.

Amy + Jacky’s Tip! Make sure your Instant Pot is as hot as it can be to induce a Maillard reaction.

Pat dry the pork shoulder, then lightly season one side of the pork with salt and ground black pepper.

Then, add 1 tablespoon (15ml) peanut oil or vegetable oil in Instant Pot. Make sure the oil is coating the whole bottom of the pot.

Carefully place the seasoned side of pork shoulder in Instant Pot. Then, lightly season the other side of the pork with salt and ground black pepper.

Brown one side of the pork for 5 minutes before flipping over, then brown the other side for another 5 minutes. You don’t need to constantly flip the meat.

Set aside the beautifully browned pork shoulder in a large container.

Deglaze Instant Pot

Pour 1 tablespoon (15ml) Shaoxing wine and 1 cup (250ml) shiitake mushroom stock in Instant Pot, then completely deglaze the bottom of the pot by scrubbing the flavorful brown bits with a wooden spoon. 

Pressure Cook Fake Shark Fin Soup

Press “Cancel” button to turn off Instant Pot.

Add browned pork shoulder in Instant Pot.

Then, add sliced rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, sliced ginger, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon (15ml) fish sauce, 1 tablespoon (15ml) regular soy sauce, 2 teaspoons (10ml) dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon (5ml) roasted sesame oil, ½ teaspoon (4g) fine salt, 5 grams rock sugar or granulated sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon (0.4g) ground white pepper in Instant Pot.

Add the remaining shiitake mushroom stock and 4 cups (1L) unsalted chicken stock to the Instant Pot.

Close lid and turn the Venting Knob to Sealing position.

Imitation Shark Fin Soup Cook Time: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 18 minutes, then Natural Release for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, release the remaining pressure by turning the Venting Knob to Venting position.

When Floating Valve drops, open the lid carefully.

Shred Pork and Add Ingredients

Place the pork shoulder in a large bowl.

Discard the ginger slices.

Add bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and vermicelli to the imitation shark fin soup.

Bring the soup back to a boil using the “Saute High” function. Then, allow the soup to boil for 1 to 2 minutes.

While you’re waiting for the soup to boil, shred the pork with two forks.

Thicken Soup

In a mixing bowl, combine 5 tablespoons (45g) cornstarch with ~⅓ cup (93ml) cold water. Stir thoroughly. 

When the soup is simmering, mix the cornstarch mixture into the Imitation Shark Fin Soup one-third at a time until desired thickness.

Add Egg, Season, and Serve Imitation Shark Fin Soup

Slowly add 1 large beaten egg to the soup while stirring with a continuous circular motion.

Add shredded pork back in the Instant Pot.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, and ground white pepper if needed.

To serve, drizzle extra roasted sesame oil on top if you like. Then, serve Imitation Shark Fin Soup with Chinese red vinegar on the side.

What to Serve with Imitation Shark Fin Soup

Even though Imitation Shark Fin Soup is a soup, it’s more of a street food snack than a soup to serve with dinner. Nowadays, it’s often sold with other street food like curry fish balls (咖喱魚蛋), fish shumai (魚肉燒買), rice noodle rolls (腸粉), soy sauce chow mein (豉油皇炒麵), or stinky tofu (臭豆腐).

Sometimes, you may find it in restaurants that serve quick cheap meals. While some restaurants serve a more gourmet version.

As a nostalgic comfort food for Hong Kongers, Imitation Shark Fin Soup is often an exciting crowd-pleaser if you bring it to potlucks, dinners, or parties.

Tasty Hong Kong Style recipes you can enjoy with Imitation Shark Fin Soup:

• Char Siu Chinese BBQ Pork (蜜汁叉燒)
• Instant Pot Chinese Sticky Rice (臘味糯米飯)
• Instant Pot Chinese Beef Stew (柱侯蘿蔔牛筋腩)
• Instant Pot Crispy Pork Belly (脆皮燒肉)
• Instant Pot HK Beef Curry (港式咖喱牛腩)
• Instant Pot HK Egg Custard (超滑鮮奶燉蛋)

Enjoy Hong Kong Style Imitation Shark Fin Soup!