Tong Sui for a Refreshing Summer

Tong Sui for a Refreshing Summer

Desserts are not a regular feature in Chinese meals. However, sweet soups are often enjoyed in the early evening. Tong sui, also known as tian tang in Mandarin, is a sweet soup or warm custard served as a dessert at the end of a meal in Cantonese cuisine. Tong sui (literally meaning “sweet water”) is a word taken from the Cantonese name for dessert items. As such, the term is generally not used outside of Cantonese communities.
Tong sui is not a new fashion; it has been around for eons in Southern China. Tong sui is believed to help moderate the body's "heat", quench thirst and regulate the digestive system. Therefore it is usually consumed in hot summers.

Tong sui is made of several varieties of beans and vegetables. Cane sugar in different forms --- crystal sugar or bing tong in Cantonese and brown sugar pieces or peen tong --- are used for sweetening the soups. Despite its name, tong sui isn't as sweet as most sugar-saturated Western desserts and is thus far more palatable. Popular varieties of tong sui are mung bean soup, red bean soup, almond soup, snow fungi soup, black sesame soup, Dao Fu Fa (tofu pudding), or sweet potato soup.

Among assorted concoctions, the most famous is red-bean soup. According to an old Chinese saying, the dessert evolved from red-bean sweet congee, made by mixing congee with red beans and cane sugar and used as a sacrifice to the food gods during the depths of winter. In time, the congee was replaced and the dessert became the soup it is today, with lotus seeds often included in the mix.

Sweet potato soup is another favorite treat after meals. The soup is usually thin, but potent in taste. The recipe is simple, consisting of boiling the sweet potato for a long time with rock candy. Sweet potato is one of the most commonly found and abundant vegetablews grown in China. Yellow, red, and purple sweet potatoes are commonly found in the market, though yellow ones are ideal given its richer flavor. With its simple recipe and large crop supply, sweet potato soup is one of the most accessible and affordable tong sui in the region. This light, non-creamy, easy and healthy dessert works great for any time of the day, especially when you are feeling the summer heat.

Hong Kong isn't the only place one can eat tong sui but it is perhaps the ideal destination to explore many different kinds of authentic and creative sweet soups. In Hong Kong, some desserts are more traditional, while others are freshened with a local chef’s creativity. Higher-end restaurants usually offer their own blend and customization of desserts. While some may look strange, most are tasty and worth exploring. Should you ever visit Hong Kong, make sure you leave room for tong sui after dinner!

Tong Sui Delicacies Include:
? Reb Bean Soup
? Mung Bean Soup
? Black Sesame Soup
? Sai Mai Lo (A dessert soup of pearl tapioca, coconut and evaporated milk).
? Sweet Potato Soup
? Dao Fu Fa (Tofu pudding)
? Gui Ling Gao (Herbal and Tortoise Jelly)
? Steamed Egg Custard
? Steamed Milk Custard
? Peanut Paste Soup
? Sweet Almond Soup
? Sweet Walnut Soup
? Hasma (A dessert made of dried fallopian tubes of the frog with supposed health benefits).

Most sweet soups are easily prepared at home. Try the following recipes and enliven your summer days!

Snow Fungi Sweet Soup

Makes 6 Servings
Ingredients:
1/2 oz. snow fungi
3 cups water
10 oz. sugar
1 small can cherries or other fruits
Directions:
1. Soak the snow fungi in hot water for 30 minutes, then rinse well, cut away and discard any hard or discolored pieces.

2. Put the snow fungi in a bowl with the measured water and sugar and steam for an hour.

3. Leave to cool, then place in the refrigerator to chill.

4. Before serving, strain the cherries and mix with the snow fungi.
This soup can also be served hot, in which case add the strained fruit to the snow fungi in the steamer and steam for another 5 minutes before serving.

Sweet Potato Soup

Makes 4-6 Servings
Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes
2 inches fresh gingerroot, skinned and sliced (approx. 45g)
3 1/2 cups water
8 dried red dates (optional)
1 (60g) slab (approx. 60g, if not available, can be substituted with rock sugar)
Directions
1. Peel, wash and chop sweet potatoes into bite-sized chunks.
2. Bring water to a boil; add ginger, sweet potatoes and red dates and simmer for 12-15 minutes.
3. Upon boiling, add slab sugar and boil until sugar dissolves.
4. Serve hot or cold. Sweet and Simple!

Source: www.bigwhiteguy.com, http://everything2.com, www.chinesefood-recipes.com, www.recipezaar.com