Pork Rib Soup with Shanyao and Honey Dates

Purpose:

To improve lungs and benefit qi.  To enhance spleen and strengthen stomach.  To nourish kidney and fortify essence.  To improve yin and benefit marrow.     

Material:

Pork ribs (back or country)                           400 g
Shanyao （山药）                                           50 g 
Honey dates （蜜枣）                                     6 
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 shanyao and honey dates.  Use dried shanyao for this soup.  Both shanyao and honey dates are quite common in Chinese cooking, so they are available in most Chinese grocery stores.  However, you might want to obtain shanyao from a Chinese herb shop if you want the full therapeutic benefit.  The therapeutic effects of many herbs depend on the locality from where they are gathered.  This is also true for shanyao (refer to a previous post).  Honey dates are made of large green dates that are cut by a machine with a metal comb so that there are many fine lines nicely spaced on the surface.  The cut dates are then cooked with sugar, followed by honey or malt, and then sun-dried or oven-dried until white frost appears on the surface.

Procedure:

a.   Rinse to clean shanyao and honey dates. Cut ribs into about 1 inch pieces.

b.   Boil about 8 cups of water with pork ribs.  When the water starts to boil, use strainer(s) to remove white foam and scum.  After the soup becomes clear, add shanyao and honey dates.  

c.   Bring to boil and then let simmer for about 3 hours. 

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

        

Comment:

This is a tasty pork rib soup with an amber color and a sweet twist.  The meat is ready to fall off the bones after cooking.  Both the meat and shaoyao taste great.  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.  Microwave to warm up before serving.  Meat soups always taste better when they are hot.  With its sweat taste, this one is also good to serve as a snack soup.

 

Honey dates (蜜枣）

Shaoyao （山药）

 


 

Pork ribs ready to cook （排骨）

Pork Rib Soup with Lotus Roots

Purpose:

To clear heat and detoxify; to lubricate lungs and stop cough.  This soup is good for patients with lung diseases and problems of the respiratory system.

Material:

Lotus roots (莲藕）                                       500 g

Pork ribs (back or country)                           250 g
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 lotus roots.  Fresh, frozen or dried lotus roots are available from Chinese grocers.  Dried lotus roots need to be soaked before cooking.  Lotus roots taste best in soup when they are cooked enough to become loose and soft, so expect to cook for more than 3 hours.

Procedure:

a.   Peel lotus roots.  Rinse clean, and cut into small segments.  Cut ribs into about 1 inch pieces.

b.   Boil about 10 cups of water with pork ribs.  When the water starts to boil, use strainer(s) to remove white foam and scum.  After the soup becomes clear, add lotus roots.  

c.   Bring to boil and the cook at low heat for at least 3 hours.  Remember to check the water level during cooking and add water as necessary, since prolonged cooking could evaporate some water away.  Start to check the softness of lotus roots after 3 hours. 

d.   Add some salt to flavor when cooking is done.  Ready to serve.        

Comment:

The soup has a pleasing, very light brown color and a fresh, slightly sweet taste.  The meat is ready to fall off the bones after cooking.  Both the meat and lotus roots taste great.  The most important part of the cooking is to make sure that lotus roots are thoroughly cooked.  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 do the following: keep the soup in the refrigerator for a few hours; take it out and remove the top layer of solid fat while it is still cold.  Microwave to warm up before serving.  Meat soups always taste better when they are hot.  Lungs in traditional Chinese medicine implies not just the organ, but also the respiratory system, and the body's ability to disperse liquid downward.

Lotus plants in a pond （莲花）

Lotus roots （莲藕）

Ribs ready to cook （排骨）