West Lake Water Shield Soup
A classic Hangzhou clear soup featuring tender water shield leaves, with delicate ham and chicken, light and refreshing.
Ingredients
10 items- Water shield (Chun Cai) 200g
- Cooked ham 30g
- Chicken breast, cooked 50g
- Chicken broth 500ml
- Salt 1 tsp
- White pepper pinch
- Chicken essence (optional) pinch
- Sesame oil 1 tsp
- Scallion 1
- Ginger 2 slices
Nutrition
Steps （5 steps）
Blanch water shield in boiling water for 10 seconds, then immediately transfer to ice water to set color and crispness; drain well.
Finely shred cooked ham and chicken breast as thin as possible for smoother texture; set aside separately.
Pour chicken broth into pot, add ginger slices, bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes to enhance flavor. Remove ginger slices.
Add water shield, ham shreds, and chicken shreds to the broth. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, allowing flavors to meld gently; avoid vigorous stirring.
Season with salt and white pepper, stir, adjust to taste. Drizzle with sesame oil, sprinkle chopped scallions, turn off heat and serve. The soup should be clear and aromatic.
Tips
Do not overcook water shield; blanching and shocking in ice water keeps it crisp. Use clear chicken broth to let the delicate flavor of water shield shine.
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