Saturday, November 28, 2009

CHINESE TURKEY SOUP WITH RICE ("XI-FAN")

After you’ve enjoyed a delicious roasted turkey dinner, you can still make a hearty soup with the leftover carcass and bones.  Even if you think you’ve carved off every bit of turkey from round one, you will still get enough meat from the simmering process to make this soup.  You can also substitute 2 large roasted chicken carcasses instead of a turkey carcass.  Another note:  depending on how you seasoned your turkey, the saltiness of your broth will vary, so you will need to salt your broth to taste.

Serves 8-10
1 roasted turkey carcass, (original whole turkey ranging 18-22 lbs.)
5 1/2 quarts cold water (22 cups)
2-15 ½ ounce cans of chicken broth (if needed)
1 ¾ cups white rice (such as Niko Niko Calrose, in Asian food section of most supermarkets)
3 cups shredded turkey meat (most, if not all of this, will fall off the carcass when simmering)
6 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons white wine (optional)
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 eggs
Salt and white pepper, to taste

In a large stock pot, combine the turkey carcass and water.  Include all the other bones that may have been detached when carving, such as drumsticks, wings and neck.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat (about 25 minutes).  Reduce heat, simmer, until the bones have started to fall apart, and all the bits of turkey meat have fallen off the bones, about 2 hours.

Remove from heat.  Discard all the bones from the pot, and save all the bits of turkey meat in


a separate bowl.  (Tip:  take out all the big bones first, then pour the stock through a sieve into another pot to strain out the remaining small bones and meat).  Skim off any fat or oil floating on the top and discard.  You should have about 5 quarts of stock left.  If you have less, add some canned chicken broth to the turkey stock to make 5 quarts of stock.  * At this point, season stock  to taste with salt. Depending on how you seasoned your turkey when roasting, the amount of salt will vary. 

In a deep medium bowl or a fine mesh colander, wash the white rice with cold water, rinsing 2-3 times to reduce the amount of starch.  Cover, bring the turkey stock back to a simmer, and add the rice; stir to break up any rice clumps and simmer for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The rice should get extremely soft and start to break up, which will thicken stock.

While rice and turkey stock are simmering, finely shred the reserved turkey meat with your fingers.  In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, wine, corn starch, sesame oil and white pepper.  Pour over shredded turkey meat and mix thoroughly.  Add to the stock and rice.  Cover, simmer for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  The soup should be getting thicker.

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl.  Bring the soup to a boil.  While stirring the soup, slowly pour in the eggs.  The eggs will cook instantly, forming a thin ribbon, as soon as they hit the boiling soup.  Continue to stir and boil for 1 minute.  The soup should have a porridge-like consistency.  You can add canned chicken broth or water if it gets too thick.  Ladle into bowls, and sprinkle with additional white pepper, if desired.

2 comments:

  1. Hey Mary!! It's Aaron, your cousin from the east coast! :) This is a great idea, as Jessica has been trying to make chinese dishes for a while now, but my mom never has anything written down! I'm getting HUNGRY by just reading your directions. Keep up the good work!

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  2. Good Job! Can't wait to see Kung Poa!
    Shaun D.

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