My boy has been sick for almost a week. His appetite is not good and all he wants is soup, more soup... Few days back, he was so weak that he could not even walk straight. My soups are simple but my boy said, "Mummy makes the sweetest soup!" I usually cook soup with root vegetables and pork ribs. I don't use chicken as chicken tend to give phelgm, so it is not good for my boy who has allergies and very sensitive airway. I use the thermal pot & I really like it. I can go out once the soup is done and put into the thermal pot. There is no need to watch fire and worry the soup will dry up. It keeps the soup hot. And the meat is very tender due to being braised slowly. My pot capacity is 5 litres, so minus my generous ingredients of about 2 litres, the soup is probably 3 litres. Yesterday, my boy alone finished the 3 litres of soup for lunch & dinner!
Sharing this post with my dear friend whose daughter loves soup too.
The key ingredient is the pork ribs. This is a must for me, to buy fresh & good quality pork ribs from a reliable pork seller in the wet market. Tell him you want to buy "排骨" for soup, the soft and tender cut. I usually have to pay close to $30 for 3 packets of 500g each.
Next important step is to wash the pork clean and blanch it. Remove any unwanted visible fats with a kitchen scissors, then wash and rid any 碎骨头.
Cover the pork with water and boil over medium fire. Once boil, off fire. Don't over boiled else the pork will lose its sweetness. Remove the pork ribs. Pour away the water, wash the pot and fill it with clean filtered water.
Ingredients:
- Pork ribs prime cut 500g
- Green Radish 1
- Carrot 1
- Corn bi-colour 1
- Red dates 5 to 6 (Big ones, they are really sweet & fragrant)
- Dried fig 2 to 3
- Dried scallop 5 (Japanese medium size)
- Honey date 1 (can omit)
- Wolfberries about 10 (to be added when soup is ready)
Buy the organic wolfberries, they are sweet & plump after cooking. The "not too good" ones are drier & sour.
- Sea salt (amount according to personal preference)
Method:
1) Wash and blanch pork ribs.
2) Cut green radish, carrot & corn
3) Fill pot with water to about 2/3 full. Depending also on your pot capacity and amount of ingredients.
4) Add all ingredients, except wolfberries & sea salt, to the pot.
5) Boil on high fire. When soup boils, lower to medium-low fire and boil for an hour.
6) Off fire, put inner pot into thermal pot.
7) Leave in thermal pot for at least 4 hours or as long as you want.
8) Before serving, put pot on stove, bring to boil, add salt & wolfberries. Off fire.
9) Serve, or put inner pot back into thermal pot to keep warm.
