Hairy gourd and salted duck egg soup with sliced pork

Ingredientsone pot, serves 4

Method

A fast-boil soup (滾湯, ingredients go in once the water boils) and it is done in 20 to 30 minutes. The 鹹蛋 is already salty, so taste before you add any salt.

1. Scrape the skin off the 節瓜 (hairy gourd) and slice it. Marinate the pork slices briefly with a little oil, salt and cornflour.
2. Wash the 鹹蛋 (salted duck egg) and crack it open. Dice the yolk and set the white aside.
3. Bring 1.5 litres of water to the boil, add the ginger slices and 節瓜 and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until soft.
4. Add the salted egg yolk and cook for 2 minutes, then add the pork slices and the salted egg white, stirring the white apart.
5. Turn the heat off as soon as the pork is cooked. Taste first, then add salt only as needed.

Who it suits

• poor appetite in summer heat

Who should take care

• people with high blood pressure should note the sodium in the 鹹蛋

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.