Chicken and puffed skin soup (gai yong yu tou)

Wash, then squeeze by hand until no oil remains and it is cool.

Bring water to a boil, turn off the heat, add the chicken breast, cover and let sit until completely cooked; do not boil it or it will not be smooth.

Cut the shiitake mushrooms into fine strips.

Press the chicken breast down and cut into strips.

Cut the puffed skin into pieces, not too thin or it tears.

Beat the egg white to a big foam.

Pour 800 ml of the shiitake soaking water into the wok with cold water and add the puffed skin; boil, then taste a piece: the texture should not be too soft.

Season with salt and an equal amount of sugar.

Add the chicken and shiitake all at once, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil uncovered; a lid will overcook the chicken.

Taste; add chicken stock to balance if needed. Do not add soy sauce or oyster sauce.

Add a little pepper powder.

Over high heat, keeping the soup boiling, add the egg a little at a time, not too much, so it does not stick to the bottom.

Variation: chicken stock, clam stock, or soaked dried scallop with its soaking liquid can replace the water.