Barley, Bean Sheet and Water Chestnut Soup

• ⅓ cup barley
• 1 fresh but dried soy milk sheet (fu jook)
• 5 to 10 water chestnuts

Put barley and peppercorns in approximately 3 cups of water; bring to the boil. As it froths, crumble in the bean sheet and then add the water chestnuts. Continue to simmer — with a gentle but decided bubbling action in order to dissolve the bean sheet — until barley has swollen, 1 to 2 hours. Season with salt.