老火湯LO FO TONG

All soups › Spleen-strengthening

Spinach, fresh yam and goji egg-drop soup

菠菜淮山杞子蛋花湯（菠菜蛋花滾湯）
strengthens the spleenreplenishes qisoothes the liverSpring quick-boiled · 20 minutes Not yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

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

Ingredients

街市Spinach1 bunch
百子櫃Dried Chinese yam· the original uses fresh 淮山, peeled and sliced1 length
百子櫃Goji berry / wolfberry1 tablespoon
街市Chicken egg (hard-boiled)· beaten, added last to make the egg flower1 to 2
街市Fresh ginger2 slices

Method

A fast-boil soup: ingredients go in once the water boils. The 淮山 and ginger get 10 minutes first, then the greens and 杞子 go in, and the beaten egg goes in last, poured slowly to make the ribbons.

  1. Wash the 菠菜 (spinach) and cut it into lengths. Peel and slice the fresh 淮山 (Chinese yam). Beat the eggs.
  2. Bring 6 bowls of water to the boil, add the 淮山 and ginger slices and boil for 10 minutes.
  3. Add the 菠菜 and the 杞子 (goji berries) and boil for a few minutes.
  4. Just before you turn the heat off, pour the beaten egg in slowly to make the 蛋花 (egg flower, the ribbons of set egg).
  5. Season with salt and it is ready.

Who it suits

  • weak digestion
  • nourishing the liver in spring
  • everyday family soup

Who should take care

  • people with a history of kidney stones should blanch the 菠菜 first to take out the oxalates
  • a mild, balanced soup that suits most people

Soup stories

HK01’s demonstration of a spring soup. Spring is the season for green food to nourish the liver, and at fast-boil speed it is done in twenty minutes. It is an example of seasonal Chinese medicine logic landing on an ordinary weeknight dinner.

From the same family

"ABC soup" — tomato, potato, carrot and corn soup with porkA$12–20
ABC湯(番茄薯仔紅蘿蔔粟米瘦肉湯)
whets the appetiteeases indigestionstrengthens the spleenAll year
街市Tomato· 3街市Potato· 2街市Carrot· 1街市Corn / maize (with corn silk)· 1街市Onion· half街市Lean pork· 600 g

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

Shiitake mushroom, carrot and red date soup with lean porkA$7–12
冬菇紅蘿蔔紅棗瘦肉湯
strengthens the spleenwhets the appetitereplenishes qiAll year
百子櫃Dried shiitake mushroom· 6 to 8街市Carrot· 2百子櫃Red jujube date· 6街市Lean pork· 300 g街市Fresh ginger· 2 slices

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

Chayote, corn and carrot soup with pork ribsNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
合掌瓜粟米紅蘿蔔排骨湯
relieves drynessstrengthens the spleenwhets the appetiteAll year
街市Chayote· 2街市Corn / maize (with corn silk)· 1 to 2街市Carrot· 1街市Pork spare ribs· 350 to 600 g百子櫃Candied honey date· 2百子櫃Dried scallop (conpoy)· 2… +1

“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.