Journeys in photographs and words.

Cook the local flavors once more

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Xian doujiang (savory soy milk soup)

From: An apartment in Hsinchu and the steam of the night market

Savory soy milk soup topped with coriander
Savory soy milk soup topped with coriander

A classic Taiwanese breakfast. When vinegar is added to warm soy milk, the protein curdles into something like fresh tofu. Shops add toppings to taste, such as dried radish, dried shrimp and youtiao (fried dough). This time I fried dried shrimp and zha cai and used black vinegar.

Ingredients

  • Soy milk
  • Black vinegar
  • Dried shrimp
  • Zha cai (pickled mustard stem)
  • Chili oil
  • Coriander

How I made it

  1. Lightly stir-fry the dried shrimp and zha cai
  2. Put the fried bits and black vinegar in a bowl
  3. Pour in warm soy milk
  4. Add chili oil and coriander to taste

Sources: health.tvbs.com.tw

This moment in the journey

Making savory soy milk soup

First, I lightly stir-fried dried shrimp and zha cai. Into a bowl went the fried bits and black vinegar, and over them I poured warm soy milk. This is xian doujiang, the classic Taiwanese breakfast soup.

A few drops of chili oil and a generous handful of coriander, and it was done. The danbing I had bought came in a paper box printed with cute drawings.

Watch this scene on YouTube1:13

Read this scene in the full journey

Stir-frying dried shrimp and zha cai in a pan
Stir-frying dried shrimp and zha cai in a pan
Pouring warm soy milk over the fillings in a bowl
Pouring warm soy milk over the fillings in a bowl
The bowl filled with soy milk
The bowl filled with soy milk
Savory soy milk soup with dried shrimp floating on top
Savory soy milk soup with dried shrimp floating on top
Adding chili oil to the soup
Adding chili oil to the soup
Topping the soup with coriander
Topping the soup with coriander
Opening a breakfast box printed with drawings
Opening a breakfast box printed with drawings