Double-boiled pork shin with two ginsengs and sweet apricot kernels

Ingredients

Method

隔水燉 (double boiling, where the jar sits in water rather than over direct heat), single-serve size: put the ingredients in a small 燉盅, pour in 300 ml of boiling water to just cover, 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 (some versions go 5 hours). Salt goes in last.

1. Cut the pork shin into pieces and blanch it (汆水, a quick boil to clear the scum).
2. Give the two kinds of ginseng slices, the 南杏, 海玉竹 and dried tangerine peel a quick rinse.
3. Put everything into a single-serve 燉盅 (double-boiling jar) and pour in 300 ml of boiling water.
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. Add a little salt before drinking.

Who it suits

• a weak, cold constitution
• low energy
• shortness of breath and dizziness
• recovering from a long-running cough

Who should take care

• people with a hot, dry constitution or high blood pressure should be careful with ginseng
• no double-boiled tonics while a cold is still unresolved (general warning across this collection)
• people with gout should be careful, long double-boiled meat soups are high in purines

Soup stories

A single-serve jar in the double-boil shop style, born out of Hong Kong's 一人燉湯 culture. Pairing the two ginsengs lets the milder 移山蔘 balance the warm dryness of 高麗參, so it is traditionally seen as a winter warmer that does not tip over into too much heat.

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.