老火湯LO FO TONG

All soups › Heat-clearing

Hairy gourd, glass noodle and dried shrimp soup

節瓜粉絲蝦米湯
clears heatrelieves drynessSummer quick-boiled · 18 minutes Not yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

Ingredients

街市Hairy gourd / fuzzy melon· scrape off the fuzz, peel and cut into strips or chunks1 to 2
百子櫃Dried small shrimp· soak briefly, do not soak too long or they lose flavour; fry until golden2 tablespoons
百子櫃Mung bean vermicelli· soak until soft and snip in half, added last so they soak up the soup50 g
街市Fresh ginger2 slices

Method

Heat the wok and fry the ginger and 蝦米 until golden and fragrant, add the 節瓜 for a short stir-fry, then add the water. The 粉絲 go in last so they soak up all the goodness. Getting them neither mushy nor dry is the skill in this dish.

  1. Scrape the fuzz off the 節瓜 (hairy gourd), peel it and cut into strips. Soak the 蝦米 (dried shrimp) briefly. Soak the 粉絲 (mung bean vermicelli) until soft and snip them in half.
  2. Heat the wok and fry the ginger slices and 蝦米 until golden and fragrant (爆香, a quick high-heat fry to bring out the aroma).
  3. Add the 節瓜 and stir-fry briefly.
  4. Add 500 ml to 1 litre of water and boil until the 節瓜 is tender, about 10 minutes.
  5. Add the 粉絲 last, and once they have soaked up the soup, season with white pepper and salt.

Who it suits

  • cooling off in summer
  • older people and children
  • everyday family soup (節瓜 is neutral in nature and the mildest of the gourds)

Who should take care

  • 蝦米 are high in sodium, so people with high blood pressure should watch the salt; 節瓜 is neutral in nature and suits most people

Soup stories

One of the most repeated taste-of-mum summer dishes. It runs along a spectrum from this soup through to a drier 節瓜粉絲蝦米 claypot, all on the same flavour logic. Christine’s Recipes is the reference version for getting the 粉絲 neither mushy nor dry.

From the same family

Winter melon, dried shrimp and glass noodle soupNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
冬瓜蝦米粉絲湯（滾冬瓜湯）
clears heatdispels dampnesspromotes water metabolismSummer
街市Winter melon· about 600 g (1 catty)百子櫃Dried small shrimp· 1 to 2 tablespoons百子櫃Mung bean vermicelli· 1 bunch百子櫃Dried shiitake mushroom· 2 to 3街市Fresh ginger· 2 slices

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

Angled loofah, cloud ear fungus and pork slice soupA$7–15
勝瓜雲耳肉片湯（絲瓜滾湯）
clears heatcools internal fireeases the bowelsSummer
街市Angled loofah· 1 to 2百子櫃Cloud ear fungus· 1 small handful街市Lean pork· about 150 to 200 g街市Fresh ginger· 2 to 3 slices

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

Yellowcress (marsh cress) and snakehead fish soupNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
塘葛菜生魚湯
clears heatdispels dampnessmoistens the lungsSpringSummerAll year
百子櫃Yellowcress / marsh cress· 300 g百子櫃Snakehead fish· 1, about 600 g (1 catty)街市Lean pork· 300 g百子櫃Candied honey date· 2百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel· 1 piece街市Fresh ginger· 3 slices

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

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.