Recipe: Water Chestnut Shiitake Bean Curd Barley Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup barley
  • 7 dried shiitake mushroom
  • 14 water chestnut
  • 1.5 lb of lean pork, cubed to 3" chunks
  • 4 stalks of dried bean curd sticks
  • 5 wood ear (note, not cloud ear)
  • 2 thin slices of ginger
  • 12 cups of water
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
  1. Break off stub from the dried shiitake mushroom. Rinse and soak separately the barley, wood ear, shiitake mushroom and stubs.
  2. Break the dried bean curd sticks to the length of your pinky finger. Let soak in cold water.
  3. Blanch the pork chunks while bringing a large pot with 12 cups of water to boil.
  4. Rinse and peel the water chestnuts. Cut each water chestnut across in half and set aside.
  5. When the large pot boils, add the blanched pork, barley, water chestnut, ginger, shiitake mushroom and stubs. Cover and boil on high heat until the liquid bubbles. Then turn down the heat and let simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes over low heat. Set your timer.
  6. When the timer signals, add the bean curd sitcks, and wood ear to the pot. Continue to boil over low heat for another 45 minutes. Sprinkle some salt to season. Serve.
Notes
1. See the shiitake mushroom and water chestnut page in the Common Ingredients section for information on nutrition, health benefits, and buying tips.
Recipe by Chinese Soup Pot at http://www.chinesesouppot.com/1-soup-recipes/591-water-chestnut-beancurd-barley