Signature Sweet Soup (Zhao Pai Tang Shui)
Zhaopai Tangshui is a type of sweet dessert known as ""tangshui,"" widely enjoyed in regions such as Guangdong Province and Hong Kong in China, and is often offered as a signature dish at various dessert shops. Tangshui is essentially a dessert soup made by simmering a variety of ingredients—such as beans, grains, fruits, and herbs—in sweetened liquid, with its types and recipes varying greatly depending on the region and establishment. At traditional tangshui shops, such as Chiu Chow Hop Shing Dessert in Hong Kong, Zhaopai Tangshui is considered a representative specialty and enjoys high popularity among both local residents and tourists.
- Taste Rating
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- Price
- 70 Hong Kong Dollar
- Meal Date
- 9/21/2024
- Food Travel Log
- In Hong Kong, try the healthy dessert Tong Sui!
The variety of beans packed inside offers a crispy texture with every bite, never getting boring. Scoop it up with the condensed milk-like shaved ice soup.
Beans are great for health, right? So, let’s play actively, eat out actively, and drink alcohol actively!
'Active' is truly a magical word that makes everything sound better.
AI Gourmet Analysis
Overview of Signature Tong Sui
Signature Tong Sui (Chaopai Tangshui) is a dessert that is offered as the representative, most popular menu item at shops specializing in "tong sui," a traditional sweet soup particularly enjoyed in the Guangdong region, especially in Hong Kong and southern China. "Tong sui" literally means "sugar water" in Chinese, and is characterized by its refreshing sweetness, commonly enjoyed after meals or as a light snack in daily life. In Hong Kong, in particular, there are many specialty tong sui shops throughout the city, including long-established stores with a rich history such as "Hop Shing Tong Sui / Chiu Chow Hop Shing Dessert."
Distinctive Ingredients and Nutritional Value
Signature Tong Sui typically features several types of beans (such as mung beans, Job's tears, red beans, peanuts) as the main ingredients, served together with lotus seeds, white fungus, tapioca, grass jelly, coconut milk or dairy milk, and sometimes condensed milk. Beans have long been valued in Chinese cuisine for their nourishing and health-sustaining properties. They are rich in dietary fiber and protein, making them highly nutritious.
Furthermore, the addition of finely crushed ice or other dessert ingredients such as tapioca makes Signature Tong Sui a popular cold dessert during the summer. The sweetness of tong sui is refined, and it is enjoyed with a sensation similar to Japanese-style zenzai (sweet red bean soup), but the flavor is distinctly unique to the Cantonese region.
Varieties of Signature Tong Sui
Signature Tong Sui often reflects the creativity of each individual shop, and since it is labeled as the "signature" item, customers can enjoy unique combinations and flavors characteristic of that establishment. At traditional shops with long histories, like Hop Shing Tong Sui, seasonal ingredients might be used, and while traditional recipes are preserved, modern variations incorporating cream or fruit are frequently offered as well.
Additionally, in health-conscious Hong Kong, combinations of ingredients such as white fungus, lotus seeds, and Job's tears—believed to have beauty and nourishing properties—are particularly popular. These ingredients have distinct uses and benefits: for example, white fungus is prized as a source of collagen, while mung beans and Job's tears are used to reduce excess body heat and help prevent swelling and skin problems.
History and Cultural Background
The tong sui culture developed in the warm regions of southern China, such as Guangdong, Fujian, and Hainan, and has become a staple light meal or snack after meals. In Hong Kong, the rapid popularization of dessert culture after World War II has resulted in the survival of many traditional tong sui shops. As the "signature" menu item, Signature Tong Sui is beloved not only by locals but also by tourists.
The bean-based food culture resonates with Confucian values emphasizing health and moderation, as well as the balance-oriented philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine. Beans are an inexpensive, easily obtainable source of nutrition for ordinary people, and have become established as a result of food practices (yangsheng) aimed at daily health maintenance and adapting to seasonal changes.
Signature Tong Sui and Contemporary Dessert Culture
In Hong Kong and southern China, traditional Signature Tong Sui is being reappraised by younger generations, and adapted versions can be found at cafes and modern dessert shops. With the advent of less-sweet and vegan recipes, it has gained support from travelers abroad and health-conscious people alike. In addition, the widespread recognition that "beans are good for your health" means that Signature Tong Sui is often made easily at home, with a wide array of variations such as the addition of agar, fruit, or coconut milk.
The Signature Tong Sui of Hop Shing Tong Sui represents a treasured bowl that has preserved its traditional flavor over many years, and is considered one of the most notable desserts in Hong Kong's culinary culture.