| |
The fact that these natural flavours are highly valued by the Chinese means that little or no extra flavouring is added to their soups. The essence of each ingredient is coaxed out by the process of simmering. However, it is not only the expensive ingredients like snow fungus or shark's fin that are used, even the humble peanut or mundane pork ribs make wonderful soups.
|
| |
| |
The nature of the food determines which of the two simmering methods are used. Sliced or shredded vegetables and chopped or minced meat are cooked by fast simmering. In this process, ingredients are added to boiling water and left to simmer for just about ten minutes before serving.
|
| |
| |
In slow simmering, chunky pieces of meat and marrows are put into boiling water and left to simmer slowly for 3 - 4 hours.
|
| |
| |
In China, different soups are made during the different seasons of the year. Rejuvenating soups are prepared in springtime, refreshing soups are made for hot summer days, soups during the dry autumn months are designed to provide the system with much needed fluids, while fortifying soups are brewed for cold winter nights.
|
| |
These soups fall under one of the following six categories found in Chinese cuisine.
|
| | |
| |
1. The clear soup is the most common of Chinese soups.
|
| | |
| |
2. Thickened soups are thickened by the addition of cornflour.
|
| | |
| |
3. Sweet clear pastes are also thickened by cornflour, but in addition, beaten egg white is stirred in to produce what is known as the "snow flake or dew effect".
|
| | |
| |
4. Sweet purees, required additional starchy thickening which may be a thicker cornflour solution, a cream or the loquid obtained by soaking uncooked rice in water.
|
| | |
| |
5. Sweet bean soups, usually made of beans are cooked until the ingredients have broken down into sandy granules.
|
| | |
| |
6. Sweet tea containing nuts and dried fruits, are traditionally brewed during auspicious occasions and served in ornate teacups to welcome guests.
|
| | |
| |
7. Sweet soups combined vegetables, sweet dried ingredients and rock sugar to make cooling drinks for hot, dry spells. To make a good soup, all meat and bones used must be cleaned and scalded to remove unwanted fat and smells. This will also minimize scum in the stock. Measure the amount of water required and use a large enough pot so that the water fills no more than 80% of the pot's capacity. This will ensure that the soup will not boil over when all the ingredients are put in.
|
| | |
| |
Bring the water to a boil before adding any ingredient so that the ingredients will not broken up by the boiling process and turn the soup chalky. However, the liquid should be kept on the boil over high heat for 15 minutes after the ingredients have been added before being simmered over low heat for the remaining cooking time.
|
| | |
| |
Checked the level of the soup occasionally when it is simmering, but never add more water at this stage as it will dilute the flavour of the soup. This is why it is important that sufficient water is used at the start and that the correct heat is used for cooking. Seasoning, if any, should be added to the soup only when it is done.
|
| | |
| |
Skim the surface of the soup before serving. Excess oil skimmed from soups was once favoured as a glaze for the cooked food from the soup.
|
| |
|
