On our last trip to China (Shenyang to be exact), there was this dish that was made from dried soybeans, soft doufu, and dried beancurd sticks (see 17 November 2010 post). I thought the soup (or stew) was interesting.
I was in the experimental mood yesterday and thought I’d give it a shot. Went to Chinatown and picked up dried beancurd sticks.
The dried beancurd come in different varieties such as sheets or round sticks. This package seemed to be in between the two.
To prepare, soak the dried beancurd in warm water until soft. This package took about three to four hours (the sheets usually take less time while the round sticks may take longer).
For the soybeans, I cheated and used the canned ones (otherwise I would have had to soak the dried beans overnight). I added reconstituted shiitake mushrooms with its dashi (you know I had to), a little bit of miso for taste, and Shao Xing wine. My soup came out pretty clear, the soup at Shenyang was milky (I think they used soybean milk).
The Cat said my version was better than the one in Shenyang. A definite keeper, and it’s vegetarian friendly (a rarity in my cooking repertoire). 🙂
If you don’t factor in the soaking time, a fairly easy soup to throw together (just takes a little planning).
BTW, this post is being sent to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sunday feature.
Enjoy.
The Mouse
It’s always great when you can recreate something and have it end up better than the original.
Thanks for sending your soup in to Souper Sundays this week. 😉
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