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Watercress and Pork Rib Soup

I know, I have not been updating this blog for some time now although I have been simmering soups!

The weather here in Penang has turned mild - less sunny but a total 180 degree change. It is now rainy and cloudy! Not cold but a lot cooler. It also signals the coming of the Chinese Qing Ming Festival - something like All Souls' Day. Rains are more frequent and the ground is wet and splotchy each year as I make the climb (or hike) towards my great-grandfather's grave.

So, news and weather aside, what soups have I been concocting?

A few familiar soups come to mind. But one that I love for its simplicity is watercress and pork rib soup. It's great for clearing heat in the body and sputum in the lungs. I know that watercress is used raw in salads and sandwiches in the West but for the Chinese, nothing is more comforting than a bowl of watercress soup. It's also popular in Chinese restaurants and roadside stalls. Sometimes the soup is steamed instead of simmered over a stove but whatever way it is boiled, the taste is just as good.

As it is so simple, you need only 3 main ingredients (told you Chinese/Cantonese soups are always quick and simple) - a bunch of fresh watercress, some blanched pork ribs and 5-6 dried red dates (stones removed). The reason why stones are removed from red dates is to prevent dampness. You can buy ready pitted dates from Chinese herbalists.

I tend to use up the whole watercress, from leaves to stalks. I know many people throw away the stalks - too chewy. But here's what I do... I pluck the leaves and let them soak for about 15 minutes in salted water. This removes most of the grit and slugs, if any. The stems/stalks are washed carefully under running water and kept aside.

Next, I bring a pot of water to boil. Then I put in the blanched pork ribs, dates and the stems/stalks. Bring it to a rolling boil for about 10 minutes and lower down the heat to a mere simmer. Simmer this soup for about 1.5 hours.

By then, the stems would have softened totally. Then I add in the watercress leaves and boil again for another 20 minutes. Some people like their watercress still green but I like mine soft so I let it simmer a lot more. Lastly I add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon sugar to taste.

That's all there is to a robust soup!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hi I'm from Singapore. Please write more of the recipes! I'm learning from you. In fact, I'm trying yours out tomorrow. (koalabeard@hotmail.com)
Das Düde said…
It would be helpful if you said how much water to use!
Krista Goon said…
Hi Dan:
Usually about 1.5 liters of water (for my average size stock pot it comes up to half the pot).
Anonymous said…
Your receipe is so easy to follow! Thanks a lot! Cheers :)
Unknown said…
Hi! Thank you so much for all your soup recipes! I'm from Vancouver, Canada and grew up with this soup. Since becoming pregnant 5 months ago (with my third), I've craved a lot of Cantonese food that my mom and grandma used to make, this soup being one that I did not know how to make. Thanks for all the great info, especially on the benefits of each ingredient, and keep those recipes coming!!! I'm excited about learning how to make these healthy Chinese soups!
hellaD said…
Wow thanks so much for sharing this incredibly healthy and easy to make recipe! I went to school years ago in Penang and the food there was just fantastic, it is so great to find the recipes so I can bring Penang into my own home.
Anonymous said…
The soup turned out yummy!!! Many thanks for sharing your recipe.
Unknown said…
adding dried fig or carrots to sweeten the soup helps too,and my mother in law also adds some almonds.You can buy them in chinese medicine shop.
Krista Goon said…
Hi everyone: Thanks for sharing your feedback on how the soup turned out. Also thanks to Jasmine for adding on the other ingredients which make the soup better. It's fun isn't it when we experiment with soups? I'm still a learner as I go along and sometimes I pick up recipes from everywhere. So please keep adding to what you know too.
Anonymous said…
Jasmine's comment rings a bell, I remember our family's version of the soup had north and south almonds (or are they actually some sort of kernel? almonds in australia tends to be more oval in shape but these were more rounded), am not sure about their use.
Elsie Hui said…
Thanks for the recipe! :) I had some spare watercress from hot pot! I'll make this later this afternoon for dinner! :)
Krista Goon said…
Hi Elsie- Great! Let me know how it turned out. Remember to get the water boiling before you add the watercress or else, according to my aunt and my vegetable lady, the soup may turn out bitter.
Unknown said…
Can you share one recipe of this where Cabbage and Corn is incorporated like this recipe called Cabbage and Corn Soup Recipe.

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