(This is a scheduled post)
I've mentioned yindooxin so many times but never blogged about it because I've never cooked it myself until recently. My MIL cooks this soup whenever visitors from Shanghai bring her the beancurd sheets.
I used the stock from boiling the pork belly for hong sao ro. This is also the same stock I boiled the chicken for the salty chicken. I cooked a Shanghainese feast when I got back from SH.
Xian ro (salty pork) is the right meat for yindooxin but for a stronger flavor and richer taste in the soup, you can use Chinese ham.
You can slice the cured meat or leave in chunks.
Fresh bamboo shoots. Cut into small chunks.
Fresh beancurd sheets come in 3 sizes--thin, medium and thick. Ahyi had bought me a mixture of thin and medium sheets. The thin sheets are easier to tie into knots. The medium sheets tear easily so I cut them into wide strips although the right way is to tie the beancurd into knots as above.
A teaspoon of bicarb of soda and ...
hot water will soften the beancurd sheets. Leave for 15 minutes and then drain and wash once. Do not leave for too long or the sheets will become too soft.
Yindooxin (serves 10)
1. Simmer a whole pork leg or pork belly in a large pot of water for an hour. For a less rich soup, use lean pork bones. Blanch the pork or bones with boiling water first to remove any hair or smell. The soup smells better with some Shaoxing wine added now but traditionally, no wine is added. About 3 to 4 tablespoons should do it.
2. Add the bamboo shoots (cut into small chunks). If using ham or pork in chunks, put them in too. A 6cm square chunk cut into 3 is enough. Simmer another hour. If using sliced ham or salty pork, put them in later, when the soup's been boiling about 1 1/2 hours.
3. The pork should be quite soft now. If you prefer the pork to be softer, let it simmer longer. When ready to serve, add the beancurd knots. When the soup comes to a boil again, let it boil another 3 to 5 minutes before turning off the fire. Season with white pepper. Add salt if necessary--the ham/salty pork usually is good enough. Serve hot with some finely cut spring onions.
The beancurd knots will be softer and lighter in color.
Yindooxin--a rich comfort soup for the Shanghainese.
I used the stock from boiling the pork belly for hong sao ro. This is also the same stock I boiled the chicken for the salty chicken. I cooked a Shanghainese feast when I got back from SH.
Xian ro (salty pork) is the right meat for yindooxin but for a stronger flavor and richer taste in the soup, you can use Chinese ham.
You can slice the cured meat or leave in chunks.
Fresh bamboo shoots. Cut into small chunks.
Fresh beancurd sheets come in 3 sizes--thin, medium and thick. Ahyi had bought me a mixture of thin and medium sheets. The thin sheets are easier to tie into knots. The medium sheets tear easily so I cut them into wide strips although the right way is to tie the beancurd into knots as above.
A teaspoon of bicarb of soda and ...
hot water will soften the beancurd sheets. Leave for 15 minutes and then drain and wash once. Do not leave for too long or the sheets will become too soft.
Yindooxin (serves 10)
1. Simmer a whole pork leg or pork belly in a large pot of water for an hour. For a less rich soup, use lean pork bones. Blanch the pork or bones with boiling water first to remove any hair or smell. The soup smells better with some Shaoxing wine added now but traditionally, no wine is added. About 3 to 4 tablespoons should do it.
2. Add the bamboo shoots (cut into small chunks). If using ham or pork in chunks, put them in too. A 6cm square chunk cut into 3 is enough. Simmer another hour. If using sliced ham or salty pork, put them in later, when the soup's been boiling about 1 1/2 hours.
3. The pork should be quite soft now. If you prefer the pork to be softer, let it simmer longer. When ready to serve, add the beancurd knots. When the soup comes to a boil again, let it boil another 3 to 5 minutes before turning off the fire. Season with white pepper. Add salt if necessary--the ham/salty pork usually is good enough. Serve hot with some finely cut spring onions.
The beancurd knots will be softer and lighter in color.Yindooxin--a rich comfort soup for the Shanghainese.
3 comments:
Hi Terri
I noticed the bean curd sheets have a different texture from ours here - they look kinda like cloth. :P
ps How's the States?
my fav. soup!!!
Gosh, this is making me really really hungry. We were absolutely dying for some Asian food by the time we got to Istanbul.
Since my mother aka the Cook is here visiting me, I've asked her to try your recipe for the braised pork belly this week. Can't wait.
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