In Cantonese
homes, red bean soup is one of the most popular desserts at the dining table. The
ingredients are simple: red bean, water, sugar, and dried tangerine peel. Here
are some little known facts about red bean soup -- this simple dessert was
listed in the Chinese medical “bible”, Ben
Cao Gang Mu (本草纲目), as a remedy to “cool” the body and to detoxify it. It
is also described in the ancient manual as an aid to eliminating water
retention and preventing constipation.
Since
the ingredients for this dessert are simple, for best results, use the best grade
possible for each ingredient. I would normally pick red bean from Hokkaido,
Japan, and cane sugar directly from Guangzhou,
China. But the most important ingredient would be the dried tangerine peel.
There
are various grades of peel available, with prices ranging from a few dollars to
thousands of dollars per 50 grams, depending on origin and age. Dried tangerine
peel is much treasured because it is believed that the older it is, the better
its taste and aroma. In fact, tangerine peel is much like wine -- with age its
color turns a beautiful dark golden brown, and its scent becomes robust, earthy
and aromatic. The Cantonese believe it possesses medicinal value, and most
Chinese medical doctors would prescribe it as part of a medicinal concoction
for cough as it releases excessive phlegm in the lungs, and also as a means to improve
digestion.
 |
| This dried tangerine peel is around 30 years old |
The
Cantonese on the mainland and in Hong Kong use tangerine peel often in their
cooking, be it in savory dishes or sweet desserts. An effect the tangerine peel
has on a dish is to purge away unpleasant smells and the taste of game meat.
These
days, aged tangerine peel can be worth its weight in gold. The best are from Xinhui, a province in Guangzhou, but their existence is precarious.
The expanse of orchards producing them has dwindled from 140 000 acres before the
Cultural Revolution to about 700 acres in the early 90s. However, in recent
years, the burgeoning demand for this ingredient has again motivated farmers to
increase the area of plantations to around 2 000 acres.
When buying
dried tangerine peel, always be mindful of where it came from. The most prized
are those harvested in Xinhui,
however the ones most commonly found in the market are from Guangxi, which are
less robust in taste and fragrance.
When
the peel is first harvested, it is set to dry for about three years before it
is taken to the market. When storing dried tangerine peels, do not place them
in airtight containers; instead allow them to “breathe” in a dry and cool
environment, so that fermentation could continue to age the peel. Once a while,
the peel should be taken out for sunning to get rid of fungus and bacteria.
Red Bean Dessert Soup with Dried
Tangerine Peel
Red
bean 250 g, soaked 2
hours and drained
Water 3 liters, preferably
mineral water
Dried
tangerine peel 5 g, soaked 30 mins,
scrape off white pith
Rock
sugar ¼ cup
Cane
sugar 4 tbsp
Method:
1. Boil red bean, water and rock
sugar vigorously for one hour.
2. Scoop ¾ of the red bean and push
through a fine sieve. Discard all bean skin and lumps. Return the sieved bean
to the pot and simmer for one hour.
3. Add dried tangerine peel and
continue to simmer for another hour. The tangerine peel will start to
disintegrate into the soup.
4. Add cane sugar and stir well.
5. Serve while it is hot.
Note: Groundnuts or lotus seeds
are often added into this dessert for extra bite.
