Pig liver
Pig's liver, called yun ('moist') because Cantonese avoids the unlucky sound of 'dry'. Soaked until the water runs clear, sliced thin and dusted with starch, it is poached gently in the soup for five to eight minutes until just done, eating tender and rich with a deep mineral savour. The heart of goji-leaf and spinach quick soups.
TCM properties
Nature · warming Flavour · sweet、bitter Meridians · liver
Traditional food therapy
In Cantonese food therapy it is used to replenish blood, nourish the liver and brighten the eyes, being traditionally noted as exceptionally rich in iron and vitamin A.
Cautions: read first
- Safety criticalExtremely high in cholesterol and vitamin A. Pregnant women should limit how much they eat (too much vitamin A carries a risk of birth defects), and those with high cholesterol or the 'three highs' of blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipids should eat little of it
- It must be cooked right through (risk of hepatitis E and the like), though 5 to 8 minutes poaching over low heat is enough; a hard boil only toughens it
- Buy offal fresh and eat it the same day
- Soak it until the water runs clear before it goes into the soup
Preparation
Soak in clean water for half an hour until the water runs clear, slice it 5 mm thick and dust it with potato or tapioca starch for a silkier finish; turn the heat right down and poach the slices in the soup for 5 to 8 minutes.
Origin
Farmed on piggeries nationwide; cheap and always in stock at supermarkets and Asian butchers. Common in Australia, frozen at Asian grocers
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
