Pork Rib Soup with Potato and Tomato

Purpose:

To nourish and supplement qi and blood.  To improve appetite and remove stagnation of the digestive system.
       
Material:

Pork ribs (back or country)                         650 g
Potato （马铃薯）                                          500 g 
Carrots （胡萝卜）                                        150 g
Dried squid （鱿鱼干）                                 50 g
Tomato （番茄）                                            25 g
Cooking oil                                                  1/2 tbs             
Salt                                                               some
          

Note:

Baby ribs or country ribs are both good for this soup.  The ribs need to be boiled first in order to remove the white foam and scum before adding other ingredients.  Use freshly peeled potato, carrots, and tomato.  Dried squids are available from Chinese grocery stores.  The quality of the dried squid makes a big difference in the smell and taste of the soup, so you must be able to select good dried squid.  Dried squids usually have a tightly attached white powder-like thin coating.  When the squid is turning bad, the white coating starts to turn pink; also, the comfortable aroma of dried squids starts to turn fishy.  

Procedure:

a.   Cut ribs into about 1 inch pieces.  Peel potatos and cut into large chunks.  Peel carrots and cut into large triangular-shape pieces.  Scald tomato with boiling water, so to remove the skin.  Cut tomato to small pieces.  Soak the dried squid with warm water (or cold water) until soft.  Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut squid into strips of about 1.5" to 2" long and 4 mm wide.

b.   Add cooking oil to a pot.  Stir fry tomato until cooked.  Remove and save aside for later use.

c.   Boil about 9-10 cups of water with pork ribs.  When water starts to boil, use strainer(s) to remove white foam and scum.  After the soup becomes clear, add all other ingredients except the salt.  

d.   Bring to boil with high heat and then reduce heat and let simmer for about 3 hours. 

e.   Add some salt to taste.  Ready to serve. 

        

Comment:

This is a clear, delicious pork rib soup with a light orange color.  All ingredients contribute significantly to the overall great taste - starch-flavored, slightly sour and sweat, seafood-fresh rib soup.  After cooking, the meat is ready to fall off the bones, and potato and carrot pieces melt in the mouth.  The squid pieces are still a bit tough, but manageable and worth chewing.  You can eat the soup right after cooking, or keep it in the refrigerator and eat later.  If you need to reduce fat intake, remember to leave the soup in the refrigerator for a few hours, and then take it out and remove the top layer of solid fat while it is still cold (there is not much to remove based on my experience).  Microwave to warm up before serving.  Meat soups always taste better when they are hot.  This soup is good to eat anytime - as a snack or with a meal.

 

Potatos （马铃薯）

Pork ribs ready to cook （排骨）

Tomato （番茄）

Carrots （胡萝卜）

Dried squids （鱿鱼干）