All the ingredients were blanched, and then the duck gizzards were added. Duck gizzards have a distinct gamey smell, so they were added last.
After all the ingredients were blanched, Lin Xu began to prepare them. Sea cucumbers were cut into vertical strips, then into small cubes about four to five millimeters square. Sea Scallops needed to be hand-torn into fine threads; this allowed the flavorful compounds inside to fully release into the rice.
The so-called Sea Scallops are actually dried products made from the firmer, fleshy parts of various shellfish. They have a delicious taste and a dense texture, making them a well-known dried seafood product. For Yangzhou Fried Rice, it's essential to choose high-quality Sea Scallops larger than eight millimeters. This ensures a richer umami flavor and a denser texture when mixed with the rice.
