Chinese Job’s Tears Dessert Soup with Bean Curd Skin and Egg

This classic recipe is a soothing, lightly sweet Chinese dessert soup made with Job's tears, silky bean curd sheets, and delicate egg ribbons. It's nourishing and full of texture.

Chinese Job's Tears Dessert Soup with Bean Curd and Egg is a classic Cantonese sweet soup (糖水), similar to red bean soup and taro sago coconut dessert soup.

It features chewy, nutty Job's tears, softened bean curd sticks (also called tofu skin or yuba), and delicate egg ribbons come together in a lightly sweet soup.

What are Job's tears?

Job's tears are known by many different names, such as Chinese pearl barley, coix seed, or adlay. The grain is gluten-free, and is used in teas, soups and desserts. 

In Traditional Chinese medicine, Job's tears are prized for their cooling, "heat-clearing" qualities, making this dessert soup perfect for balancing the body, especially after consuming rich or fried foods.

There is a difference between Chinese pearl barley and Western barley, which does contain gluten and is used in soups, stews and beer making.

What do they taste like?

Chinese pearl barley has a chewy, nutty texture.

Why you'll love this recipe

Simple ingredients: made with pantry ingredients that are easy to find in most Asian grocery stores.

Cooling and soothing: balances the body and clears "heat."

Lightly sweet: comforting without being overly rich.

Ingredients you'll need

• Job's tears: also known as 薏米, coix seed, Chinese pearl barley
• lotus seeds: usually comes packaged in dried form
• dried bean curd sticks (腐竹): also known as bean curd sheets; broken into smaller pieces
• filtered water
• pandan leaves: optional; tied in a knot
• rock sugar: or other sweetener, to taste
• egg: lightly beaten

How to make Chinese Job's tears dessert soup

Prepare the ingredients:

Place Job's tears and lotus seeds in a sieve and rinse under running water to wash off any dust.

Soak in a bowl of clean water for 30 minutes, then drain.

Soak bean curd sticks in warm water for about 30 minutes until softened, then drain and cut into shorter pieces if needed.

Cook:

In a large pot, bring 6 C of water to a boil.

Add the drained Job's tears, lotus seeds and pandan leaves (if using).

Reduce heat and simmer for 45-50 minutes, or until the Job's tears are tender.

Add in the rock sugar and the softened bean curd pieces to the pot.

Continue simmering for another 15 minutes, or until the bean curd is soft and beginning to break down.

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

While stirring the soup in a circular motion, slowly drizzle in the beaten egg to form thin ribbons.

Let it cook for 1-2 minutes until the egg sets.

Serve:

Ladle into bowls and enjoy warm, or chill in the fridge for a cooling dessert on hot days.

Variations

Add soaked lotus seeds, lily bulbs or gingko nuts for more traditional flavor.

Swap rock sugar for brown slab sugar for a deeper sweetness.

Stir in a touch of coconut milk just before serving for a creamy, richer finish.

Other Chinese recipes you may like