Oriental Treasure Soup
Submitted by Penfold
Oriental Treasure Soup is a DIY hot pot with homemade chicken broth flavored with soy sauce, sherry, and ginger, served with tofu, noodles, mushrooms, and fresh toppings guests choose themselves.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
180 minREADY
190 minThis treasure soup is really a build-your-own hot pot for entertaining. A deeply flavored chicken broth simmers in a chafing dish at the table, surrounded by bowls of toppings that guests ladle into their own bowls. It’s interactive, communal, and impossible not to enjoy.
The broth starts from scratch. Six pounds of chicken simmered with onion, celery, carrots, and parsley for up to two hours creates a rich, golden stock. Strained and seasoned with soy sauce, dry sherry, ginger juice, and sesame oil, it transforms from Western chicken soup into something distinctly Asian.
Ginger juice and sesame oil are added after straining, which keeps their flavors bright and aromatic instead of cooked out. These two ingredients are what make the broth smell incredible as it simmers at the table.
The treasure is in the toppings: diced tofu, cooked Chinese noodles, sliced mushrooms, water chestnuts, julienned celery, red peppers, scallions, and fresh cilantro. Arrange everything in small bowls and let your guests build their own perfect bowl.
Chef Tips
- Skim the scum that rises during the first 15 minutes of simmering. This keeps the broth clear and clean-tasting.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth for the clearest broth.
- Keep the broth at a gentle simmer in the chafing dish, not a rolling boil. Boiling makes it cloudy and cooks ingredients too fast.
- Prep all the toppings in advance and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Variations
- Spicy version: Add chili oil or Sriracha to the table for guests who want heat.
- Seafood addition: Add raw shrimp and thinly sliced fish to the topping options. They’ll cook in the hot broth.
Ingredients
Directions
Place chickens in large, heavy pot.
Add 2 quarts water, onions, chopped celery, carrots, parsley, salt and white pepper and bring to boil.
Skim off any scum that rises to top.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1½ to 2 hours or until chickens are very tender.
Remove chickens from pot and set aside.
Strain broth.
There should be about 7 cups.
Return broth to pot and add soy sauce, sherry, ginger juice and sesame oil.
Strip chicken from bones and dice.
Add to broth and bring once more to boil.
Place in chafing dish over heating unit and keep it at simmer.
Arrange tofu, noodles, green onions, mushrooms, water chestnuts, julienned celery, red peppers and cilantro leaves in bowls around chafing dish.
Ladle broth into bowls and let guests add ingredients of their choice.
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