My Chinese Cupboard

Bean Curd Skin and Dry Mushroom

I found myself craving for a bowl of Chinese Hot and Sour soup on a rainy day.  After emptying out my cupboard and freezer, I found left over roast duck (with bones), bean curd (tofu) skin and dried mushrooms.  Bean curd skin is a product of soy beans.  During the boiling process of making soy milk, a film of soy forms at the surface of the pot.  That skin is harvested and air dried and it is ready to use.  You will find this product at Asian markets in the freezer section.  The sheet can come as large as three feet in diameter and as thin as paper.  My grandmother uses the bean curd skin (the dried version) in the mung bean noodle and ground pork soup.  I find that it can handle a stronger flavor such as duck stock.  My uncle uses it to wrap fried crab and pork rolls.  Many Dim Sum places use the skin as a wrapper for steaming dishes.  The texture is a bit hardier than noodles after cooking and you forget that you are eating protein rather than starch. And when it is fried, it is so crispy delicious.

So, this is not a typical ingredient to use in the traditional Chinese hot and sour soup, but who needs tofu when you have bean curd skin.  How did I manage to cook it? 

1.  The broth:

Sauté duck bones with a couple tablespoons of canola oil. (If you don't want to go through with making the broth, get yourself some beef stock or vegetarian stock.)

Add 1 gallon of water, 1 stick of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of each--whole clove, schezuan pepper corn, star anise, 2 whole nutmeg, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of thick sweet soy sauce, 1/4 cup of regular soy sauce, 1/4 cup of rice vinegar.

Bring the broth to boil and let it simmer until reduced by half.

2.  The substance:

Cut the bean curd skin into 1/2" wide stripe.  Soak the mushrooms and let them sit for at least 1 hour.

Strain the broth and bring it up to boil once more.  Add the bean curd skin, mushrooms, 1/2 cup of cornstarch liquid (2 tablespoon of corn starch and 1/2 cup of water).  Scramble 1 egg and drop it into the broth.  Keep stirring the pot in circular motion.  Boil for another 5 minutes and serve with duck meat, sprinkle of green onion, fresh coriander, white pepper and chili old.

My Hot and Sour Soup

The soup should have some tanginess to it.  Add white vinegar if the taste needs to be sharpened.
Enjoy...

Cheers!
Teera