Watercress pork rib soup - featured in Group Recipes

Chinese soups are so easy to make.  I think most of the recipes are “idiot proof”.  This one is for sure.  The outcome usually cannot go wrong and almost every Chinese soup has some benefits to your health.  To name a few for watercress soup:

It helps to protect the eyes because it contains a high level of two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin.

It helps increase production of breast milk so lactating mum should drink lots of watercress soup. 

If you do not mind the bitterness of raw watercress, chewing raw watercress leaves will help stop bleeding gums.

Watercress leaves are used as a poultice for the relief of enlarged prostate gland. The poultice can also treat swollen feet and sprained ankles.

On top of all the above, the taste of the soup is soothing and pleasant, not like some herb soup that is bitter and hard to swallow.

Ingredients:

600 gm watercress, wash and cut

500 gm pork rib

5 pcs big red dates,

6 pcs honey dates

80 ml water

Method:

Blanch pork ribs and drain.  Add all ingredients into the pot and bring to boil for 15 mins and turn heat to low and simmer for 3 hours.

Lotus Root Soup

I love soups.  Chinese especially people from Hong Kong must have soup everyday.  They are ardent believers of soup for their goodness.  Lotus roots soup is one of my favorite soups. During the time when my late husband was alife, this is “THE” soup for almost all big Chinese festivals or family gathering at his Dad’s house.  One thing one must know about making lotus roots soup is the buy the right lotus roots.  For making soup, we must buy the starchy mature one and the rest is no brainer.

Ingredients:

1 400 gm lotus root

350 gm pork ribs

20 gm dried cuttle fish

8 pieces or 50 gm preserved sweet dates

6 or 40gm red dates

1 ½ litre water

1 cube chicken bullion

1 tsp salt (this can be more or less, up to individual preference)

Method:

Blanch pork rib and set aside. Bring water to boil. Add pork ribs and the rest of the ingredients.  Turn on high heat and let it boil for 5 mins without covering the pot.  Turn down the heat to low and cover the port and simmer for 2 hours. Add salt to taste before serving.

Old Cucumber soup (low wong kuah) - Featured in Group Recipes

Like all Chinese soup, it is very easy to make.  Just throw everything into the pot and simmer for 2 to 3 hours and you will have a pot of hearty soup.  During the days when both my late hubby and I were working, what we did is to throw everything into the crock pot and then when we return from work, we just eat white rice with the soup for dinner.  It is definitely much healthier than going for fast food.

Ingredients:

1 old cucumber (slice half lengthwise, remove seeds 

but retain the skin, then cut across into chunks)

250 gms pork ribs

8 red dates

3 honey dried dates

1 litre water

Method:

Blanch pork rib and set aside. Bring water to boil. Add pork ribs and the rest of the ingredients.  Turn on high heat and let it boil for 5 mins without covering the pot.  Turn down the heat to low and cover the port and simmer for 2 hours. Add salt to taste before serving.

Note: Some people like to add a piece of dried cuttlefish or dried scallops.  It is all up to individual preference. 

Stewed Lo Bak (turnip) & Pork Ribs - Mummy's Recipe is the best! - Featured in Group Recipes

Stew Lo Bak (Chinese turnips) and Pork Ribs

This simple recipe of Mum's gets it mouthwatering flavor from the perfectly complimented flavors and the low heat braising that turns it all into melt-in-your mouth goodness.

Ingredients:

½ kg Pork ribs

1.3 kg lo bak (Chinese turnips) cut in chunks

5 dried chilies

2 tb oyster sauce

1 cube chicken stock (without MSG)

1 bulb garlic chopped

Salt and white pepper to taste

Water

Note: buy local lo bak not those from China because they have bitter taste.

Method:

Boil pork rib, drained and set aside.  Heat oil in wok, add garlic and fry till fragrant. Add pork ribs, dried chili and fry on high heat until the meat looks somewhat dry.  Add lo bak (Chinese turnips) and continue frying for 2 mins.  Add oyster sauce, chicken stock and water. The water should cover all the ingredients with 1 in. of water above it. Bring to boil and turn heat to low and stew for 1 hour.  

I have submitted this entry to  Malaysian Monday.  Do check out 3 hungry tummies or test with a skewer for more information.