Double Boil Soup
October 27, 2020 Do you know any difference between boiling and double-boiling and why only the Cantonese advocates this technique of cooking?
What is Double Boiling?
The Cantonese differentiate between two methods of boiling: in bou (煲), the stock is brought to a rolling boil over a high heat, before the flame is lowered and simmered for 2 hours. Double boiling or dun (炖) is a much slower and gentle process, characterized by submerging a ceramic pot within an outer pot of boiling water. The soup is not boiled twice, as its name suggests.
This method is said to achieve the maximum removal of flavor with little compromise to the flavor of the ingredients used. Full flavor extraction can take up to 5 hours.
How to double boil
Specially designed double-boiling pots are made of ceramic. Soup ingredients must be placed inside the smaller ceramic pot, which is then placed in boiling water in a larger outer pot.
The water in the outer pot should regularly be replenished, but the inner pot must not be uncovered until the end of the cooking time, ensuring that there is no liquid evaporation, and thus no loss of nutrients or flavor. This allows the soup to retain its essences - taste, healing properties, nutrient value, moisture - offering maximum benefits to the drinker.
The science
The double-chamber technique is an elegant use of primitive technology, harnessing the boiling point of water to maintain a constant - and gentle - heat while constant convection within the water chamber eliminates hot spots.
In the West, the bain Marie's origins trace back to early Mediterranean history, when the Greeks used double-bottomed amphoras to temper the cooking of delicacies. In the Middle Ages, this evolved into a variety of crude but effective combinations of vessels, such as a pail suspended over a stick across the mouth of a cauldron - an arrangement that the Anglo-Saxons employed in their mead halls. Today, modern sous vide cooking is a feat of engineering that can achieve even heating with sensitive temperature regulation, though you could say ancient Chinese chefs already nailed it thousands of years ago.
Double-Boiled Chicken with Burdock Soup
These are the ingredients and steps for making the chicken soup. You can get the Chinese Herbs online via www.grolossal.com, a grocery online platform where you can get the finest cooking ingredients deliver to your doorsteps.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 Portion of Chicken, about 500g
- 200g of Burdock(牛蒡), cut into sections
- 10g of Yuzhu (玉竹)
- 10g of Dried Longan Meat (桂圆肉)
- 6 - 8 Red Dates Seedless (红枣)
- 1/2 Tablespoon of Wolfberries or Kay Chee (枸杞子)
- 1.2 Litre of Water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Rinse the herbs and set aside while preparing the chicken.
- Clean, trim and rinse the chicken, cut it into halves or quarters then blanched it in boiling water for about 3 - 5 minutes. Remove and rinse well.
- Bring 1.2 Litre of water to boil in a big pot, add in all the herbs and let it simmer on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes before adding the chicken.
- When the mixture comes to boil again after adding the chicken, transfer the mixture to a slow cooker and cook it on AUTO mode for about 2 - 2.5 hours.
- Serve it warm before meal or together with steam rice.
Burdock is a root vegetable that is high in fiber, low in calories and contain a moderate source of iron and calcium which is good for the body. Adding dried Longan to this soup nourishes the heart and the spleen and at the same time works well for treating tensions, palpitation, insomnia and forgetfulness which makes this a great soup for the whole family.
Peanut & Black-Eyed Beans Soup 花生眉豆排骨靓汤
There are feedbacks claiming their peanut is often not soft enough although boiling for many times.
Before boiling, you need to buy the correct type of peanuts. There is one type of peanut which is smaller in size, in Chinese it is called 珠豆花生，which normally use for frying for nasi lemak. Another type is slightly bigger in size, is called Shandong Peanuts山东花生，which is perfect for boiling soup. If you buying at the market, you can always ask the seller which type is suitable for boiling soup or porridge. Alternatively, you can purchase the peanuts from www.grolossal.com where you can get all your cooking ingredient needs under one roof.
It is advice to soak the peanuts overnight in the fridge so that it helps to soften and also cook faster with shorter cooking time.
INGREDIENTS (serves 3-4 persons)
- 90gm Peanuts (soaked overnight)
- 80gm Black-Eyed Beans (soaked 30 mins)
- 300gm Pork ribs or Chicken Feet
- 5 nos Red Date Seedless (Big size)
- 1.2Ltr Water
- Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Blanch pork ribs or chicken feet in a pot of hot boiling water for about 4-5 minutes with 2 slices of ginger and 1 tablespoon of rice wine (optional) in order to remove blood & impurities. Discard and rinse to clean.
- Add in all the ingredients in a pot of water.
- Bring it to a boil for 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1.5 hours or till peanuts and black-eyed beans soften. If you are using slow cooker, the boiling time will be doubled.
- Add salt to taste.
- Ready to serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
- Peanuts are a rich source of vitamins, protein, fiber and antioxidant properties. It promotes healthy and glowing skins as it is rich in Vitamin E.
- Black-eyed beans help to lower cholesterol, full of fiber and protein, low fat, antioxidant, good source of iron & potassium.
