Cantonese Ginger Milk Curd (Jiang Zhuang Nai)

姜撞奶

Cantonese Ginger Milk Curd (Jiang Zhuang Nai) — Desserts & BeveragesGuangzhou home cooking.

Ingredients

• fresh ginger
• whole milk (full-fat, 3.25% fat)
• granulated sugar
• candied ginger (optional garnish)

Instructions

1. Peel and finely grate 80 g fresh ginger. Press juice through double-layered cheesecloth into a small heatproof bowl—yield should be ~20 ml (4 tsp). Discard pulp. (Pale yellow, slightly cloudy liquid with tiny fibers visible.)
2. Warm milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming (70–80°C / 158–176°F). Do NOT boil—use a thermometer or test by swirling: surface should shimmer but show no bubbles. (Surface shimmers with fine ripples; tiny vapor wisps rise.)
3. Immediately pour hot milk from a height of 30 cm (12 inches) directly into the ginger juice bowl—this ‘collision’ (zhuang) triggers coagulation. (Milk foams briefly on contact, then calms into opaque surface.)
4. Cover bowl with a plate and let stand undisturbed at room temperature for 10 minutes. Do NOT stir or shake. (Surface becomes completely smooth and matte-white.)
5. Gently spoon into serving bowls. Top with candied ginger. Serve at room temperature—never chilled. (Curd holds clean spoon shape; slight jiggle like soft tofu.)