Fujianese Oyster and Tofu Soup (Haili Doufu Tang, 海蛎豆腐汤)
The Mala MarketEquipment
- Oyster shucking knife (and glove, if preferred)
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce unprocessed pork fat, preferably leaf lard or fat back
- 2 scallions, green parts only, cut into 2-inch lengths
- 5 live, raw oysters
- 3 teaspoons potato starch
- 1 ounce purple laver seaweed (optional)
- 1 block (about 19 ounces) soft tofu, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (preferably Fujianese)
- 1 teaspoon MSG (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (preferably Cuizi)
- 1 teaspoon white pepper (preferably Hainan Island Fermented White Pepper)
- 2 stalks Chinese celery, leaves and stems, cut into 2-inch pieces
Instructions
- Render the lard: Put the pork fat into a cast-iron or wok with 1 tablespoon of water. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until the water evaporates and the fat begins to render. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cracklings turn golden and release clear oil, about 5–10 minutes. Strain and reserve the the lard for Step 4 and the cracklings for Step 7. (Alternately, you can make lard and cracklings in a big batch and store them, separately, in the refrigerator in airtight containers for about a month.)
- Shuck the oysters, keeping their juices but carefully removing any grit from the shells (see Note below). Place the oysters and juice in a bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon of potato starch. Set aside.
- Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of potato starch with 2 teaspoons of cold water and mix well to form a slurry.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the lard in a wok or large skillet over high heat until it is shimmering. Add the scallions and stir-fry until fragrant, 10–15 seconds.
- Pour in 3 cups of water, add the purple laver (if using) and bring everything bring to a simmer, 3–4 minutes. When the broth boils, add the oysters and their liquid. Cover the pot and simmer the oysters until they are plump and very lightly cooked, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the salt, fish sauce and MSG (if using). Add the potato starch slurry (give it a quick stir first), and cook, stirring constantly, until the soup thickens, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Finally, add the soft tofu and let it cook 1-2 minutes, until it is warmed through. Drizzle in the sesame oil and add the white pepper. Add the chopped celery, for freshness, and the reserved pork cracklings, for savoriness. Remove the pot from the heat and let the soup cool slightly before plating and serving.
Notes
Shucking oysters is relatively easy to do at home, if you have the right equipment (a shucking knife and something to hold the oyster, to keep your hand safe). We like these instructions and this video for the clarity of their instructions.