Learn how to make this traditional Chinese dessert made with dried bean curd sheets, barley, ginkgo nuts in lightly sweetened soup. It can be cooked in a pressure cooker or on the stove.
Soak beancurd sheets in water until soften. This shouldn't take very long. Discard water and tear them into smaller pieces
If cooking with Instant Pot pressure cooker (or any multicooker):
There's no need to soak the barley. Rinse the barley in several changes of water. Discard the water.
Pour water into the inner pot of the cooker. Add barley, pandan leaves, and gingko nuts (if not using precooked ginkgo nuts). Close the lid. Turn the steam release valve to sealing. Press "pressure cooker" and make sure it's on high pressure set the timer to 15 minutes and then natural release
Carefully unlock the lid. Remove the pandan leaves. Turn to "saute" mode. Add beancurd sheets, pre-cooked ginkgo nuts, and rock sugar. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Have a taste and add more sugar as needed
Beat 2 eggs with fork and then slowly drizzle into the soup while stirring at the same time. Turn off saute mode. Serve warm or chill in the fridge before serving
If cooking on the stove:
Rinse the barley in several changes of water. Discard the water. Soak the barley in warm water for 1 hour
I use store-bought already-peeled and blanched ginkgo nuts so I skip this step. If you are preparing your own ginkgo nuts, put the nuts in a saucepan. Cover with some water, about one inch above the nuts. Bring water to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain off water and crack the shells and peel. Split the ginkgo nuts in half and remove the bitter cores
Bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add pandan leaves, pearl barley and ginkgo nuts and cook for about 30 minutes or until they are soft
Discard the pandan leaves. Add beancurd sheets and rock sugar and continue to cook until the sugar dissolves. Have a taste and add more sugar to your preference if needed. Beat 2 eggs with fork and then slowly drizzle into the soup while stirring at the same time. Turn off the heat. Serve warm or chill in the fridge before serving