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Prep Time10 minutes
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Cook Time1 1/2 hour
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Serving2
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According to Wikipedia: Wufu (Chinese: 五福), meaning the five blessings, is a concept that signify a grouping of certain good fortunes and luck in Chinese culture.
The number five is regarded as an auspicious number in Chinese traditions and closely associated with the Five Elements (Wu Xing, Chinese: 五行), which are essential for a good life as well as the basic organisational principle in Chinese thought. As a result, the number five appears ubiquitously as in the Five Blessings.
The term wufu is originally cited in the Book of Documents in China Zhou dynasty (c. 1046 BC–256 BC). In Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), the Chinese philosopher, Huan Tan (桓譚) (c. 43 BC–28 AD) redefined the element of wufu. Generally speaking, the symbolic meaning of wufu invoking the blessing on positive hope such as good wealth and health.
The five blessings are: “health” (康寧)), “wealth” (富)), “long life” (壽)), “love of virtue” (yu hao te (攸好德)) and “peaceful death” (考終命)) accordingly.
There’s a Chinese restaurant in New Orleans called Five Happiness that used to serve a Tomato and Shrimp Soup with Sizzling Rice. They still serve the soup but they no longer serve the sizzling rice which is too bad because it was a delicious dish with a wonderful presentation. I came across the directions for making the sizzling rice in one of my vintage Chinese cookbooks, then found a separate recipe for the soup. This was a great weeknight dish — deceptively quick and easy — fun to eat and delicious. And because I learned to love this soup at Five Happiness, I decided to name it Wufu Soup.
Ingredients
Sizzling Rice Tomato and Shrimp Soup
Directions
I used "gumbo shrimp," already peeled and deveined at Dorignac's. I also used Campbell's tomato soup -- after you simmer it a while with the onions and garlic, it tastes great.
Start your sizzling rice first: Spread a thin layer of left-over cooked white rice in a non-stick skillet. Cook over low heat for half an hour until the rice is lightly browned and pulls away in one piece from the skillet. Flip it over and cook it another half hour. It will be like a thin pancake. When you are just about ready to serve the soup, heat it up because it needs to be really hot in order to sizzle when the soup hits it.
Make the soup: Swirl some chili oil in your soup pot. Saute the onions and garlic over medium heat until just starting to color.
Add the soup -- one can -- and a can of water. Heat the soup to a simmer and let it stay there for a little while.
When you are almost ready to serve the soup, add the shrimp. You don't want to overcook these. You just want them to turn pink and this will take about 5 minutes. Then add the sliced water chestnuts and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. You can bring the soup to a very low boil but watch those shrimp.
To serve, put some toasted rice in the bottom of your bowl. It should be really hot. Pour the soup over -- it will sizzle for a few seconds only so if you have guests you should do this at the table for maximum effect! Sprinkle some chopped green onions on top and serve!
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