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Dried bok choy soup with apricot kernels and pork bones

Dried bok choy soup with apricot kernels and pork bones

白菜乾南北杏蜜棗豬骨湯(菜乾湯)
moistens the lungsrelieves drynesscools internal fireresolves phlegmclears heatAutumnWinter slow-boiled · 2.5 hours

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

Ingredientsone pot, serves 4

百子櫃Dried bok choy / white cabbage· 白菜乾 dried bok choy, soaked to swell and washed clean75 g (2 taels)
百子櫃Sweet apricot kernel· mostly sweet kernels40 g (1 tael) of 南杏 sweet and 北杏 bitter apricot kernels combined
百子櫃Bitter apricot kernel· only a small amount, and it must be cooked through thoroughly40 g (1 tael) of 南杏 sweet and 北杏 bitter apricot kernels combined
百子櫃Candied honey date3
街市Pork bones (femur / blade)600 g (1 catty)
百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel1 piece
百子櫃Monk fruit· optional variation, making 羅漢果白菜乾湯 monk fruit and dried bok choy soupone third
百子櫃Dried cured duck gizzard· optional variation; 陳腎 is dried duck gizzard2

Method

  1. Soak the dried bok choy until soft, rinse it head by head to get the sand out and cut it into lengths.
  2. Rinse the apricot kernels, honey dates and dried tangerine peel.
  3. Blanch the pork bones (飛水, a quick boil to drive off blood and scum).
  4. Bring 3 litres of water to the boil over high heat and add everything.
  5. Once it boils, turn down to low and simmer for 2 to 3 hours.
  6. Season with salt and it is ready.

Who it suits

  • a dry, heaty cough
  • phlegm-heat

Who should take care

  • People who run weak and cold should go easy on it
  • 北杏 bitter apricot kernel must be cooked through thoroughly and kept to a small amount
  • People with gout or high uric acid should go easy on it, since long-boiled meat soups are high in purines (general warning across this whole collection)
  • Pregnant women should take care (北杏 bitter apricot kernel)
  • Take care if you have a cold-type cough (white, thin, watery phlegm), since 羅漢果 monk fruit suits only hot or dry coughs, and the monk fruit variation especially should be avoided
  • The 陳腎 variation is high in sodium, so people with high blood pressure should watch their salt

Soup stories

Drying bok choy in the sun concentrates its sweetness. It started out as thrifty village storage food in Guangdong and ended up a classic soup ingredient in its own right.

From the same family

Winter melon, dried shrimp and glass noodle soupAngled loofah, cloud ear fungus and pork slice soupYellowcress (marsh cress) and snakehead fish soup

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.