老火湯LO FO TONG

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Spinach and pig liver soup

菠菜豬膶湯
nourishes bloodpostpartum nourishmentWinterSpring quick-boiled · 15 minutes Not yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”

Ingredients

街市Spinach· trim the roots, soak for half an hour and cut into 5 cm lengths1 bunch
街市Pig liver· rinse until the water runs clear of blood, then slice; dusting with tapioca or sweet potato starch makes it silkierabout 200 g
百子櫃Goji berry / wolfberry1 tablespoon
街市Fresh ginger· shreddedto taste
百子櫃Rice wine (cooking wine)· splashed in at the enda pinch

Method

A fast-boil soup: ingredients go in once the water boils. The 豬膶 goes in last for about 8 minutes only, because overcooking turns it tough. Dusting it with tapioca or sweet potato starch makes it silkier. Those are HK01’s two tips.

  1. Trim the roots off the 菠菜 (spinach), soak it for half an hour, wash it and cut into 5 cm lengths. Rinse the 豬膶 (pork liver) until the water runs clear of blood, slice it and dust it with a thin coat of starch.
  2. Put water, the 菠菜 and the shredded ginger in the pot and bring to the boil.
  3. Once it boils and the 菠菜 changes colour, turn the heat low.
  4. Add the 豬膶 and the 杞子 (goji berries) and cook for about 8 minutes.
  5. Season with salt and rice wine and it is ready.

Who it suits

  • traditionally given to people who are low in blood (貧血), or short on qi and blood
  • building blood after childbirth
  • feeling run down

Who should take care

  • people with inflammation, an open wound or a sprain should not add sesame oil or wine (HK01)
  • people with high cholesterol should eat only a little 豬膶
  • people with a history of kidney stones should blanch the 菠菜 first to take out the oxalates

Soup stories

菠菜 with 豬膶 is a double dose of iron and a classic blood-building pairing, and the local press has leaned hard on its iron content. It is the soup a mother cooks when someone at home has been told they are low in iron, and through the pandemic years the media repackaged it as an immunity soup.

From the same family

Double-boiled lean pork with ginseng and dendrobiumA$12–66
人參石斛燉瘦肉
replenishes qinourishes yinmoistens the lungsAll year
百子櫃Korean red ginseng· 8 g百子櫃Dendrobium stem· 12 g街市Lean pork· 300 g百子櫃Candied honey date· 4街市Fresh ginger· 4 slices

“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”

Double-boiled chicken with cordycepsNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
冬蟲夏草燉雞
supports the kidneysreplenishes qisoothes cough3h slow fireWinter
百子櫃Cordyceps· 3 to 5 pieces, about 2 to 3 g街市Fresh chicken (whole or half)· half街市Lean pork· 100 g街市Fresh ginger· 2 slices

“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”

Double-boiled teal with cordycepsNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
冬蟲草燉水鴨
moistens the lungssupports the kidneyssoothes cough3.5h slow fireWinter
百子櫃Cordyceps· 3 to 5 pieces百子櫃Teal (small wild-type duck)· 1百子櫃Dried fig· 2百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel· a quarter piece街市Fresh ginger· 2 slices

“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”

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.