Scallop XO Sauce Spaghetti

Spaghetti tossed in umami XO sauce and topped with king oyster mushroom “scallops.” A Chinese-Italian fusion pasta dish.

As it turns out, the king oyster mushroom (or other oyster mushroom varieties) has fibers arranged very similarly to scallops. Not to mention they have a funky, almost fishy taste. So all you need to do to transform them is cook them like you would cook scallops.

XO Sauce is an iconic Chinese condiment traditionally made from dried seafood such as scallops and other meats such as cured ham. It is known for its intensely rich, umami flavors. 

Trim off the ends and slice 2 large king oyster mushrooms into around 1 cm thick cylinders.

With a sharp knife, gently score one side of each cylinder

In a pan, heat up a tbsp vegetable oil on high heat. Sear each “scallop” with the scored side down first. Flip when the scored side is crispy and golden

Once you flipped all the “scallops,” baste the scallops with chili oil. When both sides are golden-brown, they are ready. Take off the heat and set aside.

Prepare 100g spaghetti according to the directions on its packet. When the pasta is 2 minutes from being done, heat up 1 tbsp XO sauce from a jar (mine is Lee Kum Kee) in another pan.

Add the cooked pasta, a tablespoon of pasta water, and toss to emulsify. 

Serve with the scallops and top everything with thinly sliced spring onion and shredded nori.

Here Che Jorge's original recipe, incl home made vegan XO sauce)