Description
Japanese Chinese diners often rely on instant chicken bouillon powder. In Shanghai, the ultimate spring soup is 'Yan Du Xian'. Fresh pork and long-aged, salt-cured pork (Xian Rou) are boiled for hours with fresh spring bamboo shoots until the broth turns milky white, packed with intense umami.
Restaurants serving Yan Du Xian (Spring Bamboo and Salt-cured Pork Soup)
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We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Xian Rou(Salt-cured pork)
- Fresh pork belly
- Spring bamboo shoots
- Bai Ye Jie(Knotted tofu skin)
- Scallion
- Ginger
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe & Differences]
- (Umami Base) Prepare both the soul of the dish, 'Xian Rou' (Chinese bacon, salt-cured and air-dried for deep aged umami), and fresh 'raw pork belly blocks'. (The goal is fusing fresh meat umami with the intense amino acids of the aged salted meat).
- Chop fresh spring bamboo shoots (Chun Sun) and prepare 'Bai Ye Jie' (knotted dried tofu skin).
- Blanch both the fresh and salted pork to remove scum.
- In a clay pot, combine the meats, massive water, scallion, ginger, and wine.
- [The Ultimate Point]: Boil aggressively on high heat at first. This emulsifies the pork fat with the water, turning the broth 'milky white'.
- Once white, lower the heat to a gentle simmer ('Du') and add the bamboo and tofu knots, braising for 1+ hours. The salted meat provides all the seasoning; no extra salt is needed.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Deep umami of cured meat、Aroma of fresh spring bamboo
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Substitute salted pork with Pancetta or block Prosciutto)
Pairing
Shaoxing Wine / White Rice
Trivia
[Trivia] 'Yan' means salted meat, 'Du' mimics the sound of slow simmering, and 'Xian' means fresh meat and bamboo. It is the most iconic, beloved home-cooked dish that makes Shanghai locals feel 'Spring has arrived'.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Contains absolutely ZERO added seasonings. It is a 'pure block of amino acid umami' extracted entirely from the meat and bamboo. Blow on the milky hot soup, sip it, and enjoy the melting pork and crisp bamboo.
Allergen
Pork, Soybeans