Gingko, Bean Curd and Barley Sweet Soup

This one is amongst hubby's fave tong shui (sweet soup in Cantonese). Pretty easy to cook. The only tedious part is to crack open the gingko shell with hammer and remove the gingko's skin. Some skills are needed to crack the shells cos hammer too hard, the whole nut or seed will be crushed. Hammer too soft, the shell won't break open. The brown skin is usually very easily removed by peeling with a knife. Other wise, pour hot water over them and soak for a while. This will then peel easily. Next, the gingkos need to be slit open to remove the bitter inner stem. Alternatively, one can buy the ready peeled ones imported from China.

It's a 6 ingredients dish - pearl barley, bean curd sheets, shelled and peeled gingko hard, boiled quail eggs (optional), water and rock sugar. Place water in a pot and dunk in the washed pearl barley and gingkos. Boil till the barley is expanded and the gingkos turned opaque (I wonder if this is the correct term?? :p). Add in the rock sugar to taste. Wash and break up the beancurd sheets before placing them into the boiling water. I prefer mine with the sheets intact so I get more bite in my sweet soup. Lastly add in the hard boiled quail eggs. You can use normal hard boiled chicken eggs.

Some people like to add in beaten eggs and stir it quickly to create dan far (egg swirls in Cantonese) just before switching off the stove but I omitted this since I've added in quail eggs. Need to limit our eggs intake hehehe.

This can be served hot or chilled... both ways also yummy... great for the throat and body. Oh yeah... I had loads of these when I was pregnant courtesy of my mother haha. The Chinese believed that preggy ladies who eat this sweet soup will produce fair and lovely skinned babies. The end result - smooth and lovely skin but my boiboi is no where near fair hahaha I guess he would rather fall under the tall, dark and handsome category!!! ;-)