Buddha jumps over the wall

Buddha jumps over the wall is a Fujian dish that brings seafood and meat ingredients together in a slowly cooked broth. Dried seafood requires separate soaking and preparation before assembly. At Shanghai’s Meet the Bund, the preparation described to the Michelin Guide uses chicken and duck stock, with ingredients including mushrooms, fish maw, sea cucumber and tendons arranged in a jar. A lotus leaf covers it during slow cooking.^[1]

The dish also has contemporary interpretations that preserve the separate treatment of its ingredients while changing the final form. Chef Leo Lo at Taipei’s Circum- describes sea cucumber, mushrooms and chestnuts in a reduced poultry-and-pork stock, served with other seafood over steamed egg. Chef Xu Jingye at Shanghai’s 102 House instead stir-fries prepared abalone and fish maw with ham sauce and dried mustard greens. These are individual restaurant versions of a dish associated with banquet and reunion meals.^[1]