老火湯LO FO TONG

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街市THE WET MARKET

Tomato

番茄
whets the appetiteeases indigestion生津止渴健胃消食茄紅素抗氧化

The common tomato, used ripe and red for the pot. Washed and quartered — often sautéed first for a deeper, borscht-style broth — it gives soups body, colour and a bright sweet-sour lift alongside potato, corn or fish tail.

TCM properties

Nature · cooling　Flavour · sweet、sour　Meridians · liver、spleen、stomach

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy tomato is used to whet the appetite, ease food stagnation and generate fluids to quench thirst.

Cautions — read first

  • Keep it moderate if you have excess stomach acid
  • Unripe green tomatoes contain solanine, do not use them

Preparation

Wash and cut into pieces; frying them fragrant first makes a richer soup (the borscht style, 羅宋湯).

Origin

澳洲各州均有種植 — Australian retail is locally grown (Roma, truss and cherry lines)

Availability in Australia

Common at Asian grocers · A$0.46–1.25 / each
Roma $1.25 ea; Imperfect $0.46 ea; truss 5-pc $6.59; cherry 200g $2.99

Pairs well with

PotatoPork bones (femur / blade)Corn / maize (with corn silk)Fish tail (grass or bighead carp)Carrot

Soups that use this ingredient · 4

"ABC soup" — tomato, potato, carrot and corn soup with porkA$12–20
ABC湯(番茄薯仔紅蘿蔔粟米瘦肉湯)
whets the appetiteeases indigestionstrengthens the spleenAll year
街市Tomato· 3街市Potato· 2街市Carrot· 1街市Corn / maize (with corn silk)· 1街市Onion· half街市Lean pork· 600 g

“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”

Tomato, potato and carrot fish soup (or with lean pork)A$19–31
番茄薯仔紅蘿蔔魚湯（／瘦肉湯）
strengthens the spleenwhets the appetiteAll year
街市Tomato· 3 to 4街市Potato· 2街市Carrot· 1街市Crucian carp· 1街市Fresh ginger· 3 slices街市Corn / maize (with corn silk)· 1 to 2… +1

“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”

Tomato egg-drop soupA$2–7
番茄蛋花湯
whets the appetiteAll year
街市Tomato· 1 to 2, about 300 g街市Chicken egg (hard-boiled)· 2 to 3街市Spring onion / scallion· a pinch百子櫃Tofu· 1 block

“Just off the stove — drink it while it is hot.”

Tomato, tofu and fish belly soup (grass carp belly)Not yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
番茄豆腐魚腩湯（魚腩滾湯）
nourishes yinmoistens the lungswhets the appetiteAll year
街市Fish belly (grass carp belly)· about 300 to 400 g街市Tomato· 2 to 3百子櫃Tofu· 1 block街市Fresh ginger· 3 to 4 slices街市Spring onion / scallion· to taste

“The pot Ah Ma keeps for her night owls.”