Yangzhou dry shredded tofu

Method

1. 1 Lay the dried tofu flat and slice it horizontally into more than twenty thin, paper-like sheets.
2. 2 Stack the leaves and then cut them into thin strips about 1 mm thick.
3. 3 The noodles should be so thin that they float in the broth; thick noodles would ruin the dish.
4. 4 Blanch the noodles in hot salt water at 80 degrees Celsius three times to remove the bean odor and soften them.
5. 5 The water must be 80 degrees Celsius, not boiling; boiling water will break the fibers into tiny pieces.
6. 6 Cook the noodles in chicken broth with dried shrimp, bamboo shoots, and shredded chicken for 12 minutes, then sprinkle with chopped scallions.

With an appliance

• Microwave 44 min

  Replace step 6: Place the bean curd strands along with the broth and toppings in a deep bowl, cover loosely, and microwave at 500W for 6 minutes, then rest for 1 minute; reduce the heat to about 5 minutes before simmering, keeping the strands 1 mm thicker than the boiling point. Steps 1–5 (slicing, dicing, and blanching) remain the same to remove the bean curd smell from the strands.