Braised Abalone

In past years, my students have often asked me how to tenderize abalone, which can be as tough as a rubber tire. Here is the answer. I cook the abalone in sake broth in a steamer for about 1 hour until the flesh becomes quite tender. Daikon radish, which I add to the cooking broth, also helps to tenderize it.

In Japan, we use megai, Siebold’s abalone. But an abalone called nagareko, which is similar to megai and is farmed in the waters of Southern Califor