Thursday, June 2, 2011
A DELICIOUS FRENCH-STYLE YUBA (BEAN CURD SKIN) STEW
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| This is a package of dried bean curd skin sticks |
Yuba: (I'm going to refer to this product by its Japanese name because it is shorter, becoming more universally accepted [like tofu instead of bean curd], and less confusing than the various English translations from the Chinese, such as "bean milk sheets", "pressed tofu", and other confusing things-- but don't refer to it as "yuba" in a Chinese market or the proprietor won't know what you're talking about!) This is a very concentrated soyfood. The dried version, available in Asian markets and some large supermarkets, must be soaked in warm water before using.
SOAKING: Dried yuba MUST be soaked before it's cooked, so don't skip that step. The sticks need to be soaked an hour or two, in warm water; the sheets about 10 minutes. I have never experienced sheets not becoming flexible in that amount of time, but the sticks often have certain spots in them (usually where they were bent) that never get flexible. If you are deep-frying them, it doesn't matter. If not, just cut those parts off and discard.
It's possible that really old yuba (like really old beans) doesn't rehydrate well. Try to go to a store that has a decent turnover.
Fresh sheets are also available in large cities in Chinese tofu shops, and must be frozen for future use. They often come in 16"-diameter round sheets, or semi-circular sheets. These are sometimes labeled "Fresh Spring Roll Skins or Wrappers", but are not to be confused with the wrappers made from flour. The package will tell you that the ingredients are only soybeans and water. Some varieties are very thin, some are as thick as canvas. The sheets are folded into many forms and sizes to make rolls and stuffed pouches, or molded and steamed.
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| Dried sheets of yuba/bean curd skin |
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| Sheets of fresh yuba/bean curd skin |
The Chinese have used amazing ingenuity to create "mock meats" using yuba. In Chinese yuba shops you will find replicas of chickens, ducks, fish, hams, rolled meats, sausages links, etc., all made primarily from yuba. These dishes, with names such as Buddha's Chicken or Buddha's Duck, as served on cold plates at fine restaurants or family banquets.
Here is how to make your own yuba!
Now, that recipe... I remember at the time I developed this recipe that I wanted to make a French-style stew out of an Asian product. It's actually a very light, simple stew, but it's also complex in flavor and very satisfying. I think it tastes even better the day after making it.
I hope that you can find this product (there is a link in the ingredient list to an online vendor) and give this recipe a try.
Now, that recipe... I remember at the time I developed this recipe that I wanted to make a French-style stew out of an Asian product. It's actually a very light, simple stew, but it's also complex in flavor and very satisfying. I think it tastes even better the day after making it.
I hope that you can find this product (there is a link in the ingredient list to an online vendor) and give this recipe a try.
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA’S FRENCH-STYLE YUBA STEW
Serves 4
I like to serve this stew with mashed potatoes.
6 oz. package Chinese dried beancurd skin sticks (yuba)
2 T. soy sauce
1 1/2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. chopped carrot
1/2 c. chopped celery
2 1/4 c. hot richly-flavored vegetarian broth (like Better Than Bouillon
No-Chicken), mixed with
No-Chicken), mixed with
1 tsp. Marmite
or other yeast extract
or other yeast extract
2 large carrots or parsnips, peeled and cut into "matchstick" pieces
1/4 cup dry sherry (or marsala
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, chopped
large pinch of dried rosemary
1 1/2 c. frozen petit pois (baby peas)
1 T. potato starch
dissolved in 1 1/2 T. cold water
dissolved in 1 1/2 T. cold water
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Soak the yuba sticks in a large bowl or pot of warm water for a couple of hours. Drain them and pat dry on clean tea towels.
Cut them into 2" pieces. Toss them in a bowl with the soy sauce.
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| The soaked yuba/bean curd skin sticks |
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large nonstick or cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the yuba sticks with soy sauce and stir-fry until they begin to brown. Add the onion, chopped carrot and celery and keep stir-frying until the vegetables begin to brown. Scrape this into a small roasting pan or a large casserole. Pour the broth into the skillet and scrape up all the good "brown bits". Pour this into the casserole and add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the peas and dissolved potato starch.
Cover the pan and bake for 1 hour, adding the peas during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Remove from the oven and immediately stir in the dissolved potato starch. Stir until the juices in the stew have thickened. (Note: Potato starch does not have to be boiled to thicken a sauce or stew—it will thicken immediately in a hot liquid.) Taste for salt and add plenty of freshly-ground black pepper.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 276.4 calories; 48% calories from fat; 15.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 678.9mg sodium; 305.8mg potassium; 13.7g carbohydrates; 2.2g fiber; 9.2g sugar; 11.4g net carbs; 24.6g protein; 6.4 points.
Enjoy!
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8 comments:
That looks great!!
THANK YOU for solving a mystery of many years for me!!! I've had yuba in restaurants and have seen it talked about in cookbooks, but I could never find it in any Asian grocery store. Now I know why -- I needed to use another name for it.
Thank you!!!
Oh - Thanks! I love browsing in Asian grocery stores - but I almost never know what to do with the ingredient so I don't buy. But now I can try out a new one! Thanks!
A couple of weeks ago I was watching a chef competition on the food network, chopped I think. The competing chefs had yuba in their basket. I knew what it was because it creates a nice skin on a seitan roast. Neither one of the competing chefs knew what it was... I did. :-) I am surprised by how little the culinary world knows about Bryaana's awesome flavored food and cooking techniques.
Hi, Dori! Nice to hear from you! how are you?
Lovely recipe!
Just an observation, ... adding soy sauce or anything coated in soy sauce to a hot cast iron skillet will immediate scorch the soy sauce and it will burn and stick to the bottom very quickly. It can then barely even be scraped off with a metal scraper.
If I ever add soy sauce, I first brown the ingredient then add a small amount of water and THEN add the soy sauce, stir quickly and dump everything out of the pan within 5 seconds.
Any chance you can give me the NI for the dried sticks? Can't find it anywhere.
Not sure what you mean by NI, but you can order them at the link in the recipe ingredient list or search in "Grocery & Gourmet Food" at amazon.com and you will get at least 6 brands of the yuba sticks.
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