Dried Bean Curd Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms
Dried bean curd sticks are the “skins” that result when cooking soybeans. Their firm, noodle-like texture is perfect for soups. The basic stock benefits from the long, slow cooking of both pork and chicken, making this a perfect crock pot recipe. Dried turnips and shiitake mushrooms bring an earthiness to this family favorite. Simplicity is the rule here, so that each ingredient can ring through to your taste buds!
Dried Bean Curd Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms
2 lbs bone-in chicken pieces, such as legs, thighs, wings
1 lb bone-in pork, such as blade chops or country style ribs
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
4 oz dried bean curd sticks, broken into 3″ pieces
1 preserved turnip (found in Asian markets, packaged and tied in bundles)
Coarse salt
Rinse chicken and pork and place in bottom of 4-5 qt. slow cooker. Rinse mushrooms and add to cooker (they will rehydrate over the long cooking time). Soak preserved turnip in a cup of warm water for ten minutes. Untie, rinse and add to cooker. Add cold water to cooker to just cover ingredients, about 3 quarts, leaving at least 1″ from the top. Cover and cook on low for six hours.
Rinse bean curd sticks in warm water and set aside. Skim fat and any impurities from top of soup and add bean curd sticks. Stir gently to moisten sticks, cover and cook on high for one hour or until bean curd is tender. Add salt to taste (do not add salt before this time or bean curd will toughen).
Ladle soup from crock pot into serving bowl. Debone pork and chicken, adding meat back to soup, if desired.
Was looking for bean curd shiitake mushroom soup and stumbled upon your site, your recipe looks authentic, just like how my mom used to make. Even though looks like you posted this and your other recipes some time ago, am very happy your site is still up, thanks for your recipes and will try the other dishes as well, cheers!