Double-boiled lean pork with codonopsis and astragalus

Ingredientsone pot, serves 4

Method

隔水燉 (double boiling, where the jar sits in water rather than over direct heat): put the ingredients in a family sized 燉盅 and pour in boiling water to just cover (the double-boiled version uses about half the water of the boiled version), seal with cling film (traditionally 紗紙, mulberry paper) and put the lid on, fill the outer pot to a third or half way up the jar, and cook for 3 hours. Salt goes in last.

1. Cut the lean pork into pieces and blanch it (汆水, a quick boil to clear the scum).
2. Snip the 黨參 into lengths and give it a quick soak and rinse with the 北芪, 淮山 and 芡實.
3. Put everything including the honey dates into the 燉盅 (double-boiling jar) and pour in boiling water to just cover.
4. Seal with cling film, put the lid on, and double boil (隔水燉, the jar sits in water rather than over direct heat) for 3 hours.
5. Season with salt before drinking.

Who it suits

• people low in qi who tire easily
• a weak, breathless speaking voice
• people who catch colds easily
• a sensitive nose

Who should take care

• not while you have a cold with fever, 北芪 is said to close the surface and trap the pathogen
• not for people who run hot and dry or have a bitter, dry mouth
• people with gout should be careful, long double-boiled meat soups are high in purines (general warning across this collection)

Soup stories

黨參 with 北芪 is the classic qi-building herb pairing in Cantonese soup, the everyday household's answer to ginseng, aimed squarely at feeling 有氣無力, run down and out of puff. Leave the pork out for a vegetarian version.

From the same family

"ABC soup", tomato, potato, carrot and corn soup with porkShiitake mushroom, carrot and red date soup with lean porkChayote, corn and carrot soup with pork ribs

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.