The abalone cooked quickly, its fresh meat tender and springy with a hint of crispness. Each bite released the distinct, sweet flavor unique to seafood.
Even though it had only simmered in coconut water for a few minutes, he could already taste a faint coconut aroma.
Once he confirmed it tasted good, he quickly tossed in five more abalone.
He wasn't sure if it was from cooking the abalone or from the coconut flesh melting into the broth, but the liquid inside the shell was slowly turning white.
Instead of tasting the broth, he sampled the special dipping sauce he held in his hands.
The dipping sauce wasn't a success, as he was missing many key ingredients.
But as a broth, it was surprisingly good.
He stared at the bamboo tube for a moment, then, on an impulse, poured its contents into the abalone broth.
The emerald green basil leaves tumbled in the milky-white broth, their exotic fragrance growing even more intense.
