west lake soup

The West Lake in Zhejiang Province in eastern China is an UNESCO World Heritage Site famed for its natural beauty and historic relics. It is said to have served as the muse for many poets and painters and, in the form of this soup, has even influenced the culinary arts. West Lake soup is simple to make and despite not using a stock or a long simmering time, this silky,fragrant soup is as tasty and gratifying as any others in this book. For the ultimate waat(silky) mouthfeel replace the cornflour with arrowroot powder.

Serves 4 dried Chinese mushrooms pinch granulated sugar 200g beef mince 1 tsp plus 6 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot powder tbsp light soy sauce 12 tsp salt tsp ground white pepper 100g soft tofu, cut into cubes 3 egg whites, lightly beaten large handful fresh coriander(about 30g), chopped 1 Soak the Chinese mushrooms in a bowl of hot water with the sugar for 30 minutes. Drain, remove and discard the stalks, thinly slice the caps, then set aside. In a small bowl, combine the beef and 1 teaspoon cornflour and set aside. 2 Bring 1.2 litres water to the boil in a large saucepan. Stir in the soy sauce, salt and pepper, then add the mushrooms and beef. Use a pair of tongs or chopstick to swizzle the water vigorously, breaking up any large lumps of meat. Partially cover, return to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and simmer for a few minutes until the tofu has heated through.

In bowl, mix the 6 tablespoons cornflour and 100ml water into a slurry, then pour the slurry into the soup. Increase the heat to medium and stir continuously until the soup thickens.

4 Drizzle in the beaten egg whites, tracing a spiral path. Leave the eggs to set for about 15 seconds,then use a ladle to stir the egg through the soup until the egg is completely set.

Add the coriander, cook until it has just wilted, and serve.

qingquang

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