Salty Soy Milk Soup (xian dou jiang)

Salty Soy Milk Soup (xian dou jiang) is a northern Chinese breakfast specialty, often served with shao bing or ci fan tuan--everyone in my family loves these types of foods. The acid in vinegar congeals the soy milk into tofu, ideally this should be somewhere between a liquid and solid. Use more or less acid depending on how much you want the warm soy milk to congeal.  See here and here and here for a more detailed recipe.

Ingredients:

• plain soy milk (not sugared), preferably use the real kind that comes from a soy milk shop, Asian grocery, or is homemade.  Don't use the ones made by large brands (e.g. Silk) which are sold at most American grocery stores and which often contain sugar and are processed to have a minimal soy bean flavor.
• rice vinegar (just a few drops)
• pickled mustard greens (available at Chinese or Japanese supermarket)
• sesame oil
• chili oil
• soy sauce
• something salty (e.g. Chinese bbq sauce, dried shrimp, or fried shallots)
• salt & white pepper

Place all ingredients except for soy milk into a bowl that is the single-serving sized; the quantities should be determined by the individual's taste. Use only a few drops of vinegar; the more vinegar you add, the more congealed and thick that the soup will be, so start with just a small amount (you can add more later, if necessary).  Lightly mix.

Warm enough soy milk for 1 serving in a pot on the stove until just boiling. Carefully spoon the soy milk into the bowl. If desired, top the soup with a few sliced of Chinese donut. Serve immediately.

Variation: Warm 1 tsp Chinese bbq paste (vegetarian or non-vegetarian. use the Bulldog brand) in a pan. Add a tiny amount of hot chili oil, and fish sauce. Add soy milk and heat until boiling. Add soy milk to a bowl with some pickled mustard greens and 1 spoonful of rice vinegar. Garnish with Chinese 5-spice powder.