Article 109: Analysis of Famous Jiangsu Dishes (Dishes 46-50): Chicken Broth with Dried Tofu Strips, Yangzhou Fried Rice, Lotus Root Starch Dumplings, Egg Shumai, Tang Pagoda Four Treasures

46. ​​Chicken broth with dried bean curd strips

Ingredients: Main ingredient: 400g dried soybeans. Side ingredients: 40g cooked chicken breast, 40g cooked pork belly, 20g cooked bamboo shoots, 40g shrimp, 10g cooked ham, 10g pea sprouts. Seasonings: 10g Shaoxing wine, 150g rendered pork fat, 2g shrimp roe, 1g soy sauce, 2g salt, 1200g chicken broth.

Preparation method: (1) Put the square dried tofu into a pot with cold water and heat it until bubbles appear around the edges. Then take it out and spread it out to cool.

(2) Shred cooked chicken breast, cut cooked ham into strips, cut cooked bamboo shoots and bamboo shoots into slices, wash and drain shrimp, marinate with salt and dry starch, and wash tender leaves of pea sprouts.

(3) First slice the cooled square-shaped dried tofu into thin slices, then cut it into thin strips, blanch it in boiling water, stir it with bamboo chopsticks, take it out and soak it in boiling water again. After blanching it three times, blanch it in boiling chicken broth three times, then take it out and set it aside.

(4) Heat a wok over a fire, add chicken broth (500g), dried bean curd strips, shredded chicken, sliced ​​bamboo shoots, shrimp roe, and cooked lard. Cover the wok and cook until the broth is thick and milky white. Add soy sauce and salt and simmer briefly. Remove from heat and pour into a soup bowl.

(5) Sear the shrimp until cooked, blanch the pea shoots in clear chicken broth, then place them on top of the dried bean curd strips along with the shrimp, and sprinkle with shredded ham.

Quality Standard: The chicken broth-cooked dried tofu strips are finely cut, with a soft texture, a rich white broth, a savory and mellow flavor, and a bright appearance with delicate strands. They are refreshing, appetizing, and leave a lingering aftertaste.

Key to the operation: blanching and soaking the dried shredded vegetables in boiling water.

Dried tofu generally has a strong yellowish-brown flavor. After being sliced ​​into strips, the cut surface is greatly increased and the shape is very small. When repeatedly soaked in boiling water, the yellowish-brown flavor is quickly washed away by the water and temperature.

On this basis, a broth is added, and the umami flavor of the chicken broth permeates the dried bean curd strips, improving their taste and making them soft and tender, ensuring that the dried bean curd strips meet the required quality standards during the "cooking" process; the cooking time for the dried bean curd strips must be carefully controlled.

Chicken broth with dried tofu strips is thick and white, with a rich and mellow flavor.

This is due to the emulsification of fats and the decomposition of soluble proteins in the soup during the heating process, and the key lies in the control of the heat.

Therefore, it is advisable to cook over medium heat for a longer period of time.

The broth should be plentiful, and the pot lid should be tightly closed to increase the pressure inside the pot and the boiling of the broth. This process should be done in one go to ensure the broth reaches the desired consistency.

High heat and little broth can easily cause the broth to dry out; low heat and more broth will prolong the heating time, making it difficult for the broth to become thick and for the flavor to penetrate into the dried tofu, resulting in a bland taste.

47. Yangzhou Fried Rice

Ingredients: Main ingredients: 1000g cooked white rice, 5 eggs, 50g rehydrated sea cucumber, 50g cooked chicken breast, 50g cooked lean ham, 1 cooked ham, 75g shrimp, 25g rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, 25g cooked bamboo shoots, 25g green peas, 40g lean pork, 25g rehydrated dried scallops. Seasonings: 5g chopped green onions, 200g rendered pork fat, 5g cornstarch, 30g salt, 250g chicken broth, 5g Shaoxing wine.

Preparation: (1) Cut sea cucumber, chicken breast, ham, shiitake mushroom, bamboo shoot, and lean pork into small cubes, and shred dried scallops.

(2) Wash the shrimp and drain them. Marinate them with salt and dry starch.

(3) Crack the eggs into a bowl, add salt and chopped green onions, and beat well.

(4) Heat a wok over high heat, add lard, and when the oil reaches 120°C, add the shrimp and stir-fry until cooked. Then pour the shrimp into a strainer.

(5) Heat a wok over a fire, add a small amount of cooked lard, then add diced sea cucumber, diced chicken, diced ham, diced mushrooms, diced bamboo shoots, and diced lean pork. Stir-fry briefly, then add wine, salt, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, simmer briefly, and then serve as a mixed "topping".

(6) Heat a wok, add 150g of rendered pork fat, pour in the eggs and stir-fry until they resemble osmanthus flowers, then add cooked rice and stir-fry together.

After stir-frying, pour in half of the mixed toppings and all the braising liquid, stir-fry again, divide 2/3 of the fried rice into 10 bowls, pour the remaining half of the mixed toppings, shrimp, and green peas into the fried rice in the pan and mix them together, then cover each of the 10 bowls of fried rice with the mixture.

Quality standards: Yangzhou fried rice is mainly savory and salty. The fried rice and eggs should be loose, with distinct grains and a suitable texture. The diced toppings should be of uniform size.

The product is characterized by its refreshing appearance, vibrant color, soft and chewy texture, and delicious aroma.

Key points for operation: There are four points to master in the selection and cooking of rice: First, it is advisable to use high-quality indica rice or high-quality japonica rice. It is not advisable to use brown rice or glutinous rice. This is because indica rice expands well when cooked, has less stickiness, and has better color and texture. The cooked rice is easy to achieve the quality requirements of loose and distinct grains and soft and sticky texture.

Second, rinse the rice until the water is clear, and remove any impurities such as sand, husks, and millet to ensure the rice is clean.

After rinsing, let it absorb some water and expand slightly before cooking.

Third, use an appropriate amount of water when cooking rice, otherwise it will affect the dryness or moisture of the rice.

Too much rice will make it mushy, resulting in a mushy texture and unclear grains when stir-fried; too little rice will make it hard, affecting the soft and sticky texture.

Fourth, one must make good use of fire.

First, the rice should only be added to the pot after the water has boiled to prevent it from sinking to the bottom and sticking to the pot. Second, cook over high heat until the rice expands and stretches, then reduce the heat to low to allow the rice to gradually dry out. Finally, let it simmer until the rice becomes shiny for a few moments before removing it from the heat.

After removing the rice from the heat, use a ladle to loosen it to prevent it from clumping together when it cools. When making fried rice, the key is to stir it appropriately. The premise of proper stirring is to stir it evenly and flavorfully, and to prevent it from burning. This is reflected in the control of heat, cooking time and stirring method.

Because rice has a low moisture content and is cooked at a high temperature, if it is not stirred in time, the rice near the bottom of the pot is prone to burning. Excessive stirring can make the rice mushy and the grains unclear.

The heat can be controlled, generally medium heat is advisable. The stir-frying time should be until the meat is evenly cooked and flavorful, with no meat juice remaining. In terms of stir-frying method, the movements should be clean and quick, and the hand-tossing of the wok should be combined with the stir-frying.

48. Lotus root starch dumplings

Ingredients: Main ingredients: 500g pure lotus root starch (250g consumed), 15g roasted melon seeds, 15g roasted pine nuts, 15g roasted walnuts, 15g roasted sesame seeds, 15g candied kumquats, 75g small sesame cakes. Additional ingredients: 100g diced pork lard, 20g deveined kumquat segments, 12 red cherries, 12 green cherries. Seasonings: 200g granulated sugar, 5g osmanthus sugar.

Preparation method: (1) Filling processing.

Chop the melon seeds, pine nuts, walnuts, candied kumquats, and diced lard into fine pieces. Crush the small sesame cakes into powder and mix them with the sesame seeds. Knead the mixture into small balls about 1cm in diameter to form the filling.

(2) Use a soup sieve to remove coarse particles from the lotus root starch and place it in a large flat-bottomed enamel dish.

(3) Place the filling balls into the lotus root starch in the dish, rotate the dish, and make the surface of the balls evenly coated with a layer of lotus root starch.

(4) Put a lot of water into a wok over high heat and bring it to a boil. Put the raw lotus root starch balls into the wok and blanch them. Remove them and drain the water. Put them back into the lotus root starch and rotate the plate so that the surface is evenly coated with lotus root starch again. Then put them back into the boiling water and blanch them. Repeat this process 3 to 4 times to make lotus root starch balls.

(5) Put the boiled lotus root starch balls into clean water to cool and set aside.

(6) Processing of lotus root starch dumplings sweet soup: Heat a wok, add an appropriate amount of water and granulated sugar and bring to a boil. Add osmanthus sugar, then take the lotus root starch dumplings out of the water and put them into the boiling water. Then pour the soup into a porcelain pot and add orange segments and red and green cherries.

Place a flat plate on the bottom of a porcelain pot before serving.

Quality standards: Lotus root starch dumplings are like regular sweet soup, with a generous amount of broth, a pure sweet taste, and a rich and fragrant osmanthus aroma.

Due to the dispersion of starch by hot water, the lotus root starch dumplings are crystal clear and light brown in color. They float on the surface of the soup along with juicy cherries and fresh orange segments, creating a vibrant mix of red, green, and yellow. They have a soft, smooth texture and are considered a delicacy among desserts.

Key to operation: shaping the filling.

Because the filling ingredients have very low water content and lack sufficient moisture and stickiness, they are extremely difficult to shape and easily fall apart during the poaching process.

Therefore, to ensure the formation of lotus root starch balls, the first step is to ensure the formation of the filling. There are two key points to master in forming the filling: First, all the filling ingredients must be chopped finely and evenly, especially the diced lard. Chopping it into a paste breaks down its structure, causing the fat droplets and water to separate out and become a sticky paste.

Secondly, when rolling the filling into small balls, knead them vigorously to use the stickiness of the filling to make the various fillings tightly bond together and take shape; the lotus root starch must be dry and fine.

Lotus root starch often contains particles of varying sizes. These particles prevent it from sticking evenly to the filling balls, affecting its shape. Furthermore, the granular lotus root starch is difficult to cook thoroughly, resulting in "spots" that affect its color.

Therefore, before use, lotus root starch should be sieved through a fine sieve to remove coarse particles. If the humidity is too high, it should be dried appropriately to ensure the fineness of the starch. The cooking time should also be carefully controlled.

The main component of lotus root starch is starch, which can quickly absorb water in hot water, swell, and form a translucent colloidal substance.

If left in hot water for too long, the starch colloid formed by the heat will become very soft and easily deformed.

Especially during the first blanching, the surface of the filling is coated with very little lotus root starch, resulting in a very thin gel. If left for a while, the moisture seeps into the filling, causing it to become loose and unable to take shape.

Therefore, the water must be boiling when blanching the dumplings, but the time should not be too long. Once the dumplings are cooked and change color, they should be taken out to prevent them from overcooking and deforming.

49. Egg Shumai

Ingredients: Main ingredients: 4 eggs, 300g shrimp. Side ingredients: 5g chopped greens, 5g chopped red bell pepper. Seasonings: 10g Shaoxing wine, 2g salt, 1g MSG, 5g chopped green onion, 100g chicken broth, 1g cornstarch, 50g cooked duck fat.

Preparation: (1) Wash the shrimp, rinse them, drain the water, take 250g and chop them into rice-grain-sized pieces, put them in a bowl, add salt (1g), MSG (0.5g), chopped green onion, Shaoxing wine and cooked duck oil (30g) and mix them into filling, then divide it into 20 portions.

Next, mince the remaining shrimp (50g) and put it in a bowl.

(2) Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them into an egg mixture.

Heat the iron ladle over low heat, spread it evenly with 5g of cooked duck fat in batches, scoop 1 spoonful of egg liquid into the ladle, hold the ladle handle and shake it to spread it into a round egg skin with a diameter of 8cm. Then place 1 portion of shrimp filling in the center of the egg skin, and use chopsticks to pinch it slightly above the filling to form a shumai shape (make 20 in total).

Then place shrimp paste at the seam of the egg skin, garnish with chopped red pepper and chopped greens, and steam over high heat for about 10 minutes until cooked.

(3) Place the pot over high heat, ladle in chicken broth, add salt (1g) and MSG (0.5g), bring to a boil, thicken with cornstarch, drizzle in cooked duck oil (15g), and pour over the egg shumai.

Quality standards: The shumai should be aesthetically pleasing, brightly colored, with a clear and glossy gravy, and the egg shumai should be soft, tender, and fragrant.

Key to success: The key to making this dish lies in the preparation of the filling, the sauce, and the shaping method.

For the filling, select fresh, clean shrimp, remove the sand vein, rinse thoroughly, chop into a paste, add seasonings, and mix until sticky. The flavor should be mild. The shaping method is to use a ladle to spread an egg crepe, place the filling on it, and then use chopsticks to gather it into a shumai shape. Note that the ladle should be shiny but not dripping with oil when spreading the crepe, and the filling should be placed before the egg mixture completely dries and solidifies. The sauce for this dish is a rice water thickener, so pay attention to adjusting the consistency and transparency. Skim off any foam before thickening, and when pouring the sauce, the broth should be boiling but not bubbling, combining pouring and stirring.

50. The Four Treasures of the Tang Pagoda

Ingredients: Main ingredients: 300g cooked winter bamboo shoots, 300g cooked lean ham, 200g cooked pearl bamboo shoots, 40 bok choy hearts, 200g cooked carrots, 100g cooked fresh mushrooms. Seasonings: 10g Shaoxing wine, 350g chicken broth, 5g salt, 1g MSG, 25g cornstarch, 5g dried shrimp.

Preparation method: (1) First, cut the cooked winter bamboo shoots into slices of 2cm, 1.8cm, 1.6cm, 1.4cm and 1.2cm thickness respectively. Then, use a wavy knife to cut them into hexagons with diameters of 5cm, 4cm, 3cm, 2cm and 1cm. Make a small hole in the middle of the thinnest section and insert a pearl bamboo shoot.

(2) Cut the thickest part into 4 pieces and arrange them in the center of the plate in their original shape. Then use a wavy knife to cut the carrot into diamond-shaped pieces and place them on the first layer of bamboo shoots. Repeat the same process for the other layers.

(3) Cut the ham into even thin slices and arrange them around the tower. Then place the bamboo shoots and mushrooms on both sides of the tower.

(4) Place the pot over high heat, add chicken broth, salt, MSG and Shaoxing wine, add bok choy and shrimp, stir-fry until cooked, then remove the bok choy and arrange it around the tower, then steam for about 5 minutes and remove.

(5) Place the pot over high heat, add chicken broth, salt, MSG and Shaoxing wine, bring to a boil, thicken with cornstarch, drizzle with sesame oil, and pour over the tower and all the ingredients.

Quality standards: The shapes are lifelike, the colors are harmonious, the winter bamboo shoots and pearl bamboo shoots are crisp and tender, the bok choy hearts are tender and soft, the flavor is savory and fresh, and the sauce is clear and glossy.

Key to operation: This dish is a styling dish, with a lifelike appearance and vibrant colors.

As long as the ingredients are of high quality and the knife skills are exquisite, the preparation is not complicated. From the perspective of its edible and aesthetic value, it is a well-designed dish that is worth inheriting and promoting.

In the preparation process, the selection of ingredients is a crucial factor. Whether it is winter bamboo shoots, pearl bamboo shoots (corn shoots) or mushroom heads, the raw materials must be tender and of uniform size. In terms of knife skills, the focus should be on the ham slicing, which must be of uniform thickness, consistent size, and evenly spaced.

In addition, when arranging these ingredients on the plate, it is essential to adhere to the principles of highlighting the center of gravity and maintaining diagonal balance and symmetry.