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Double-boiled pork tail with morinda root and eucommia bark
“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”
Ingredientsone pot, serves 4
Method
Double-boil (隔水燉, the covered pot sits in a pan of simmering water): put the ingredients in the pot and pour in about 1.2 litres of boiling water to just cover, put the lid on and seal it with cling film (traditionally 紗紙, a thin gauze paper), then sit it in a pan of boiling water (the water coming one third to halfway up the side of the pot) for 3 hours, topping up with boiling water along the way. Salt goes in last.
- Rinse the 巴戟 (morinda root), 杜仲 (eucommia bark) and 牛膝 (achyranthes root); toast the black soybeans in a dry wok until fragrant.
- Scrape the pig tail clean, chop it into pieces and blanch it (汆水, a quick boil) to take off the smell.
- Put everything in the double-boiling pot and pour in boiling water to just cover.
- Seal the pot and double-boil (隔水燉, the covered pot sits in a pan of simmering water) for 3 hours.
- Season with salt and it is ready.
Who it suits
- aching, weak lower back and knees from kidney yang depletion
- feeling the cold
- getting up often at night to urinate
- worn out muscles and joints
Who should take care
- Avoid if you have yin depletion with rising fire, or run hot and dry with a dry mouth
- Avoid while a cold has not fully cleared
- Pregnant women should check with a practitioner first
Soup stories
The mainstay double-boiled soup for kidney yang. Morinda root, known as the southern ginseng, together with eucommia bark is the standard back strengthening pair. 鴻福堂 (Hung Fook Tong) sells a commercial version with morinda, eucommia, black soybean, deer tendon and pork shin. The stronger deer antler double-boiled chicken is dispensed by herbal shops on prescription and does not belong to the ordinary recipe repertoire.
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.