Cut the mutton belly into pieces with the skin on and blanch it (汆水, a quick boil to draw out blood and scum) to take away the gamey smell.
Rinse the 當歸 angelica, red dates and dried longan. Soak the 陳皮 dried tangerine peel until soft and scrape away the white pith, and cut the ginger into thick slices.
Put everything in the pot with 3 litres of water and bring to the boil over high heat.
Turn down to low, simmer for 2 to 3 hours and season with salt.
Who it suits
yang deficiency and feeling the cold
cold hands and feet
blood deficiency
Who should take care
Not for people who run dry and heaty
Not with a cold or a fever
Not with a sore throat
Pregnant women should take care
Soup stories
It comes from Zhang Zhongjing's 金匱要略, the Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Casket, which makes it one of the oldest soup formulas we have in writing that still turns up on Hong Kong tables at the winter solstice.
moistens the lungssupports the kidneyssoothes cough3.5h slow fireWinter
百子櫃Cordyceps· 3 to 5 pieces百子櫃Teal (small wild-type duck)· 1百子櫃Dried fig· 2百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel· a quarter piece街市Fresh ginger· 2 slices
“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”
Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.
問阿媽ASK AH MA
Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.