Whenever I host gatherings or get invited to potluck parties, the most requested for item from my friends is usually Ginkgo Barley Beancurd Skin dessert. It's a "comforting" dessert of choice and a popular favourite, especially amongst the ladies, as this dessert is believed to have 'cooling' and ‘moisturizing’ properties under Traditional Chinese Medicine studies.
In fact, this dessert is a personal favourite of mine and I need to have it on a monthly basis. I don't think my version is much different from most recipes out there but as requested by a couple of friends, here's the recipe.
Ginkgo Barley Beancurd Skin Dessert
(Serving for 15 to 20 person, depending on the amount of water added.)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup of barley
Beancurd skin, 2 to 3 sheets depending on personal preference
I love having lots of bean curd skin, so I will usually use 3 sheets no less. If I simmer the dessert long enough, the soup will take on a slightly milky consistency. You will be able to detect wafts of soya bean fragrance while the soup simmers on and although faint, you will be able to taste soya bean milkiness when it's done.
There is a few versions of beancurd skin available in the market, do pick up the paper thin version.
Tip: I will usually choose the paler ones instead of those with richer yellow hues.
6 leaves of pandan, tied into 2 bundles
Tip: Smacking the bundles with the base of a ceramic mug makes it easier for the essence and fragrance to be rendered out from the leaves.
1 can of ginkgo nut, boiled and shelled
1 cup of rock sugar, can be varied depending on personal preference
2 cups of unsweetened soya bean milk, adjust the amount of rock sugar if sweetened soya bean milk is used
Steps
1. Rinse the barely in water 2 to 3 times and drain dry.
2. Fill a large pot with 1.5 liters of water and bring to boil.
3. While waiting for the water to boil, soak the beancurd skin in water.
4. Add the barley in the pot once the water start to boil and turn the heat down to medium. Stir every 15 min and lower the heat further if the barley starts to stick on the bottom.
Tip: Do not lid up the pot or you will get to meet an angry foam-spewing pot and earn yourself a hot mess to clean.
5. By the time the barley fluff up a bit (refer to picture for reference, it should take approximately half an hour), drain off the water from the beancurd skin and rinse it with another round of water before adding to the pot as well.
Tip: I would usually start to separate the sheets and tear them in to palm size pieces at this point.
6. Add the pandan leave bundles and lower the heat further to low and continue to simmer and stir regularly.
7. Top up the water if you notice a noticeable reduction of the water level.
8. Drain and rinse the ginkgo nuts and add into the pot after the barley, beancurd skin and pandan leaves have been simmering for approximately half an hour. You should be able to see the the barley is further fluffed up this time round.
9. Stir regularly and simmer as for another half an hour or more. The more you simmer the soup, the better the flavors meld. Add soy milk as you go and more water, if you prefer your dessert to be more runny.
10. Add rock sugar and stir until you can't hear any solid rock sugar clinking against the pot.
Tip: Always add little by little and taste as you go! Seasoning, once added, is difficult to reverse.
11. Remove the pandan leaves, off the heat and your dessert is ready! Serve it either hot or cold.
As for my personal preference, I like mine to have a slightly starchier consistency. Hence I'll usually increase the frequency of stirring while it simmers for another additional hour.
Please remember to store in the refrigerator or always bring the dessert to a boil at the end of the day if there's leftover.
Some recipes include eggs or candied winter melon but I enjoy mine without. I can over simmer at times, all I need to do is to add more soya bean milk and it'll be still as yummy.
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