老火湯LO FO TONG

All soups › Heat-clearing

Salted egg, loofah and pork slice soup

鹹蛋絲瓜肉片湯（咸蛋勝瓜肉片湯）
clears heatcools internal fireSummer quick-boiled · 15 minutes A$9–15

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

Ingredients

街市Angled loofah· also called 勝瓜1 to 2
街市Salted duck egg· a raw salted egg, yolk and white separated: the yolk goes in early to season, the white goes in last to make flowers1
街市Lean pork· sliced, lightly marinatedabout 150 g
街市Fresh ginger2 slices

Method

Once the water boils add the ginger, the loofah and the salted egg yolk and boil for 5 to 8 minutes. The pork slices go in after, and the salted egg white goes in last so it sets into flowers. The salted egg is already salty, so you may not need any salt.

  1. Scrape the ridges off the loofah, peel it and cut it into wedges. Separate the salted egg yolk from the white. Lightly marinate the pork slices.
  2. Bring 6 bowls of water to the boil and add the ginger, the loofah and the salted egg yolk.
  3. Boil for 5 to 8 minutes.
  4. Add the pork slices and cook them through.
  5. Pour the salted egg white in last so it sets into flowers, taste it (you may not need salt at all) and it is ready.

Who it suits

  • feeling heaty in summer
  • anyone after a quick, tasty family dinner

Who should take care

  • salted egg is high in sodium and cholesterol, so people with high blood pressure or high cholesterol should drink only a little (same as the other salted egg soups)

Soup stories

The third member of the salted egg quick-boil trilogy, alongside 芥菜鹹蛋 and 節瓜鹹蛋. One salted egg gives a working family instant savour and salt in a single shell, doing two jobs at once.

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.