I love a bowl of piping hot soup. Be it a cream based western soup or a clear chinese broth, I am a slurping devotee no less. I am not Cantonese but often felt inadequate without a bowl of soup on my dinner table. If you are a fellow fan, I'm sure you will enjoy today's post of some of my best-loved soups.
When boiling a pot of Chinese soup, do note to blanch the pork ribs in boiling water for about one to two minutes and rinse it thoroughly, before cooking. This is to remove any impurities and to reduce that 'porky' smell from it. Remember, a good pot of soup is achieved through low heat and slow simmering so it is not a chore for the impatient.
Serves 2 -4
Lotus Root & Peanut Soup
Ingredients: 250 grams of spare ribs (blanched), 1 small lotus root (sliced), 1/2 cup peanuts, 1 honeyed date, 1 dried octopus or dried squid
Method: Place all ingredients in 2 litre of boiling water and simmer on low heat, covered for 2 hours. You can season with a little salt if desired but I do without.
Watercress Soup
Ingredients: 250 grams of spare ribs (blanched), 1 bunch of watercress (rinsed with roots removed), 8 small or 5 medium red dates, 1 dried octopus or dried squid
Method: Place all ingredients in 2 litre of boiling water and simmer on low heat, covered for 2 hours. You can serve the soup with or without the cooked watercress. If using without, place some fresh watercress in the soup just prior to serving.
ABC Soup
Ingredients: 250 grams of spare ribs (blanched), 1 tomato (quartered), 1 onion (quartered), 1 corn (cut into 4 pieces), 1 large or 2 medium potatoes (peeled and cut), 1 medium carrot (cut)
Method: Place all ingredients in 2 litre of boiling water and simmrer on low heat, covered for 2 hours. Season with salt.
Black Bean Soup
Ingredients: 250 grams of spare ribs (blanched), 1/2 cup of peanuts, 1/2 cup of black bean, 1 dried octopus or dried squid
Method: Place all ingredients in 2 litre of boiling water and simmrer on low heat, covered for 2 to 3 hours. Season with salt.
Radish Soup
Ingredients: 250 grams of spare ribs (blanched), 1 medium radish (peeled and cut), 1 dried octopus or dried squid
Method: Place all ingredients in 2 litre of boiling water and simmrer on low heat, covered for 2 hours. Season with salt.
Bittergourd Soup
Ingredients: 250 grams of spare ribs (blanched), 1 bittergourd (seeds removed and cut into smaller pieces), 5 large or 8 small dried oysters
Method: Place all ingredients in 2 litre of boiling water and simmrer on low heat, covered for 2 hours. Season with salt.
