All soups › Heat-clearing
Century egg and amaranth soup
皮蛋莧菜湯（莧菜皮蛋豆腐湯／金銀蛋莧菜）
“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”
Ingredientsone pot, serves 4
Method
Add the ingredients once the water boils. The century egg goes in last, and letting a little of it dissolve thickens the soup. The teahouse style uses stock with sliced garlic.
- Bring water to the boil and add the amaranth, tofu and ginger slice.
- Boil over medium-high heat for 15 minutes.
- Add the chunks of century egg at the end.
- Salt it and it is ready.
Who it suits
- heaty summer days, when the century egg is said to amplify the cooling power of the amaranth
Who should take care
- Children and pregnant women should keep to a moderate amount (the old worry was lead in century eggs, and the ones sold in Hong Kong today are made lead-free, but moderation is still sensible)
- People with a weak, cold spleen and stomach should go easy on it
Soup stories
The home version of the restaurant dish of amaranth poached in stock. 金銀蛋, gold and silver egg, which puts a salted egg in alongside the century egg, is the upgrade that came in from the 茶餐廳 cafes.
From the same family
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.