All soups › Heat-clearing
Watercress and dried duck gizzard soup with pork bones
西洋菜陳腎煲豬骨
“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”
Ingredientsone pot, serves 4
百子櫃Dried cured duck gizzard· 臘鴨腎, dried duck gizzard; warm in nature, traditionally used to balance the coolness of watercress2 to 3
百子櫃Bitter apricot kernel· a small amount only, must be cooked right through40 g (1 tael) of 南杏 and 北杏 combined
Method
- Soak and wash the watercress thoroughly, and blanch it first (飛水, a quick boil) if you want to take off the astringency. Soak the 陳腎 until soft and slice it.
- Blanch the pork bones (飛水) to clear the bloody scum.
- Bring 3 litres of water to the boil over high heat, then add the pork bones, 陳腎, apricot kernels, honey dates and dried tangerine peel.
- Once it returns to the boil add the watercress, turn down to low heat and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Season with salt and it is ready.
Who it suits
- a hot, dry cough
- an irritated airway
- lots of phlegm
Who should take care
- be careful with a cold-type cough
- be careful if your stomach runs cold
- pregnant women should be careful
- 北杏 must be cooked right through and kept to a small amount
- people with gout or high uric acid should drink only a little, long-simmered meat soups are high in purines (general warning across this collection)
- people with high blood pressure should watch the sodium (陳腎 is a cured product and high in salt)
Soup stories
A classic pairing among Hong Kong's winter standbys. The 陳腎 (臘鴨腎, dried duck gizzard) adds a salty, savoury layer, and is traditionally credited with helping shift a heavy stomach.
From the same family
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.