📝 About This Recipe
Hailing from the mist-shrouded mountains of Yunnan, this legendary dish is as much a performance as it is a meal. According to local lore, a devoted wife invented this method of carrying hot soup across a bridge to her studying husband, using a layer of oil to seal in the heat. It features a soul-warming, golden broth served boiling hot, accompanied by a vibrant array of paper-thin meats and fresh vegetables that cook instantly at the table.
🥗 Ingredients
The Golden Broth
- 1 piece Whole chicken (approx. 3 lbs, cleaned)
- 2 lbs Pork marrow bones (blanched and rinsed)
- 150 grams Yunnan Ham (or Prosciutto) (thickly sliced)
- 3 inches Ginger (smashed)
- 4 tablespoons Chicken fat or vegetable oil (essential for the heat-sealing layer)
The Noodles and Proteins
- 1.5 lbs Fresh Yunnan-style rice noodles (Mixian) (or thick dried rice vermicelli, pre-soaked)
- 200 grams Pork tenderloin (frozen slightly then sliced paper-thin)
- 150 grams Squid or Fish Fillet (sliced paper-thin)
- 4 pieces Quail eggs (raw, kept in shell until serving)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 bunch Garlic chives (cut into 2-inch lengths)
- 1/2 cup Wood ear mushrooms (rehydrated and thinly sliced)
- 2 cups Pea shoots or Spinach (washed and trimmed)
- 2 sheets Tofu skin (Yuba) (rehydrated and sliced)
- 1/2 cup Cilantro and Scallions (finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup Pickled mustard greens (finely chopped for acidity)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare the stock base: Place the chicken, pork bones, and Yunnan ham in a large stockpot. Cover with 4 liters of cold water and bring to a vigorous boil for 10 minutes. Skim off all gray foam and impurities.
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2
Reduce heat to low, add the smashed ginger, and simmer uncovered for at least 3-4 hours. The broth should reduce and become a rich, creamy golden color.
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3
While the broth simmers, prepare the 'bridge' components. Slice the pork tenderloin and fish against the grain into translucent, paper-thin slices. This is crucial as they must cook in seconds.
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4
Blanch the wood ear mushrooms and tofu skin in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, and set aside.
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5
Cook the rice noodles in a separate pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch. Divide into 4 individual serving bowls.
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6
Arrange all the raw meats, fish, vegetables, and the raw quail egg artistically on small platters or one large communal platter.
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7
Strain the finished broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Season with salt to taste (be careful, as the ham is salty). Keep the broth at a rolling boil.
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8
In a small skillet, heat the chicken fat or oil until shimmering. Stir this into the boiling broth. This fat layer is the 'insulation' that keeps the soup hot enough to cook the raw ingredients.
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9
Preheat 4 large, deep ceramic stone bowls by rinsing them with boiling water. This prevents the bowls from stealing heat from the soup.
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10
Ladle the boiling, fatty broth into the preheated ceramic bowls. You should see a clear layer of oil on top and no steam escaping—this means it's perfect.
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11
Serve immediately. Instruct diners to first drop in the raw quail egg and meat slices, stirring gently to cook, followed by the vegetables, and finally the noodles.
💡 Chef's Tips
The meat must be sliced paper-thin; if it's too thick, the residual heat of the soup won't cook it through safely. Never stir the soup before adding the ingredients, as the oil layer traps the heat; once you break the surface, the temperature drops rapidly. If you cannot find Yunnan ham, a high-quality aged Prosciutto or Smithfield ham provides a similar salty, funky depth. Use 'Mixian' (fresh fermented rice noodles) if available at your local Asian market for the most authentic, slippery texture.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a side of Yunnan-style spicy pickled radishes to cut through the richness of the broth. A cold glass of Pu-erh tea (which originates from Yunnan) is the traditional beverage of choice. Provide a small dish of toasted chili oil and black vinegar for diners to customize their own dipping sauce. Serve with a side of crispy fried pork rinds for added texture.