Basic Chinese Chicken Soup Stock (Soup Base)

Ingredient Name:  Dried bean curd, tofu skin, fu jook, yuba

Traditional Chinese Name: 腐竹 (fǔ zhú)

What is this?

• A Chinese or Japanese product made from soy beans
• When boiling soy milk, the thick filmy layer is extracted and dried as dried bean curd
• It is used in dim sums, desserts, and in meat substitutes (as vegetarian dishes)
• You can purchase it fresh or dried

How do I prepare it?

• Rinse in warm water first
• For dried bean curd, soak in water for a few hours if planning to use skin in whole pieces
• For desserts, dried bean curd should be added to cold water if you wish to shred it completed

Where can I buy this?

This is available in most Asian supermarkets
Can be purchased both fresh and dried
Is also available in single sheets or as a bulk of many wrapped layers (depending on how you wish to use it)

What is the cost

• Dried bean curd is very affordable
• 3 sheets as pictured above cost $6 HKD

Any benefits?

• Good source of protein
• Has very little saturated fat and no cholesterol
• Excellent source of Vitamin E
• Ideal for vegetarian consumption

Any precautions?

• People with the condition of gout should consume with caution as it is high in protein

Resources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofu_skin