WHAT EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED TO MAKE AMAZING CHINESE SOUPS?
Theoretically, a giant pot is all you need. I mean, my ancestors certainly did it that way! But of course, with technology and innovation comes a suite of tools that help us save effort, time, and resources in making delicious and amazing Chinese soups!
One guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balancebetween 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also exist in each other. Our bodies, minds, and souls are designed the same way in that to be healthy, we need to be in harmony between these 2 bipolar states. Yin is receptive and passive, calm and slow, embodying cold and damp qualities (when we are sleeping). Yang is its exact opposite in aggressive and active, embodying heat, dryness, and movement (when we are awake).
One of our mission at The Chinese Soup Lady is to bring these principles into the foods and drinks we consume in order to support harmony.
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What equipment do you need to make amazing Chinese soups?
SOUP POT!
Any pot will do. I mean, any good quality, large pot, easy-to-clean, easy-to-use, sustainable, long life pot will do! This is your life as a soup, in that pot! I have a few, but the one I will also default to is my thermal pot. I also use a cast iron one if I’m doing an all-in-one fry first and soup later.
You can find a Shuttle Chef Thermal Soup Pot here. However, if you’re in Canada and can access Zojirushi products, that’s the one I’m using both in Hong Kong and in Toronto.
I will admit, I also use my rice cooker to make soup!! It’s possible! This makes 3-4 portions as I have a 5 cup sized Zojirushi rice cooker. You can check out this video on how I was experimenting with making soup using a rice cooker because I was curious on how well it would turn out. As it turns out, time and life savers for those busy bodied people!!
A must have if you’re planning on using any ingredients that have oil, meat debris, or little pieces that will float up and out. These fine meshed scoopers pick up almost anything except the soup. I’ll use them right after some of the meats boil or right before service. My mom (grandma) actually uses it like a sieve and pours out soup through it to catch anything her grandchildren may find in the soup. That’s definitely another way to get creative with this tool!
I ended up buying a sturdier oil scooper here from Amazon. I’ve also tried the $2 ones from Temu or the local Chinese supermarket, but these flip and flop around and end up snapping at the head over time.
SOUP BAG (FISH BAG, HERBAL BAG, MESH BAG)
This is also an amazing tool to have if you’ve got a lot of small herbs (such as barley, beans, apricot kernals, dried flowers) or any fish (especially smaller fish with bones). This will keep these ingredients together so you don’t have to wade through them or sieve them out of the soup. I am also a fan of the decomposable and environment-friendly ones, especially one that are reusable! Just throw out all the used ingredients, flip inside out, and rinse it out with washing fluid like you would a towel.
Any ladle will do! But how else will you serve your soup? The one I find I love using is my green rubbery one, which is heat resistant and dishwasher safe. It’s pretty huge, scoops a lot of soup, washes easily, and is just overall a really easy ladle to use.
You’d be surprised how heavy meats can get when you’re trying to blanch them in soup or trying to move them from one pot to another! I must admit, my chopstick skills are good… but maybe I need more muscle strengthening in my hands because carrying a whole chicken carcass with regular chopsticks just wasn’t doing it. Tongs are my next best friend when it comes to making soups!!
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There’s making soups. And then there’s making soup BY DESIGN.
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Here are suggestions for replacement ingredients for peanuts in Chinese soupsOne guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also exist...
Soup Name: Healing Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup with Fish Maw Traditional Chinese Name: 花膠雞湯 (huā jiāo jī tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. The star of this soup is FISH MAW. This takes collagen to the...
Soup Name: Delicious One Pot Vegetable Vermicelli Soup for Dinner. Literal translation from Chinese is "Mixed vegetables vermicelli pot soup". Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜粉絲鍋湯 (zá cài fěnsī guō tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
5 Tips for Exercising in the Cold (from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective)One guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also...
Soup Name: Shrimp Congee with Fresh Yams and Lettuce Traditional Chinese Name: 蝦粥 (xiā zhōu) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Want something easy? Want something delicious? This is the perfect lunch to make in 30 minutes...
Soup Name: Making a Delicious Lotus Root with Vegetables in Pork Broth Chinese Soup (with Roasted Fresh Peanuts!) Traditional Chinese Name: 蓮藕豬骨湯 (Lián'ǒu zhū gǔ tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. For this post, I made 6...
Due to its engineered induction design, the pot itself will retain heat and continue to cook by itself
This pot doesn’t need power! It’s 100% energy efficient cooking. You’ll need to use the inner pot to cook on a stove to a boil for about 30 minutes before putting it into your thermal pot.
Easy to clean
The inner pot can be used with or without the external thermal base (use it like a normal pot)
They come in a lot of various sizes: 3L, 4L, or 5L is what I’ve seen available
Durable outer base
Safe to use
Where to buy this?
In Hong Kong, there are many Japanese and Chinese brands available, such as Zojirushi, Tiger, and Thermos. I’ve got a Zojirushi at home in HK and I love it!
In Toronto though, I could only find Tiger and Thermos physically in Chinese Appliance and Home Stores (check First Markham Place).
There are also limited options Online that are Tiger, Thermos, and SunPenTown. Amazon is a good place for this as you can also see the reviews.
Having used both Tiger and Zojirushi, they operate quite similarly and produce the same outcomes!
To answer your questions on what equipment I'm using, I've built a section here where you can find and explore what I'm using to make soups. Ingredients are a little harder, but I will do my best as I source them around. However, you can always message me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook, and I will reply and try to point you in some direction!
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Here are suggestions for replacement ingredients for peanuts in Chinese soupsOne guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also exist...
Soup Name: Healing Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup with Fish Maw Traditional Chinese Name: 花膠雞湯 (huā jiāo jī tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. The star of this soup is FISH MAW. This takes collagen to the...
Soup Name: Delicious One Pot Vegetable Vermicelli Soup for Dinner. Literal translation from Chinese is "Mixed vegetables vermicelli pot soup". Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜粉絲鍋湯 (zá cài fěnsī guō tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
5 Tips for Exercising in the Cold (from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective)One guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also...
Soup Name: Shrimp Congee with Fresh Yams and Lettuce Traditional Chinese Name: 蝦粥 (xiā zhōu) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Want something easy? Want something delicious? This is the perfect lunch to make in 30 minutes...
Soup Name: Making a Delicious Lotus Root with Vegetables in Pork Broth Chinese Soup (with Roasted Fresh Peanuts!) Traditional Chinese Name: 蓮藕豬骨湯 (Lián'ǒu zhū gǔ tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. For this post, I made 6...
A friend informed me of a new mini “food jar” or also known as “Thermal pots” that is very popular in Hong Kong these days. For starters, this jives with me because:
I love thermal pots and their heat saving efficiency
I love anything that can make soups
I love Japanese technology and products
I love to drink the soup that I make in my thermal pots
Go Green!
So, I bought one, or two, or three and gave some away as gifts.
And what made it so special was I also love experiments. So this was the perfect opportunity to play with food and equipment and create something amazing!
Wait wait.. the good part is that this thing isn’t only for making soups – it can make rice, congee, soups, eggs, sauce, spaghetti, noodles, and basically whatever your good, creative imagination can come up with given the constraints of such a tiny jar.
I actually have no association with this product or the company, but it’s nice to share cool finds when I see them. The price ranges from $280 – $350 HKD depending on where you buy it from and it’s super cute in size, is portable and easy to clean.
Here’s what it looks like opened. Simple two-pieces. No brainer – right?
It’s made from stainless steel on the inside and uses the space efficiently. Another love of mine – efficiency.
So my first experiment was to make an egg. Apparently, to make a semi-solid egg, it takes about 30 minutes to “bake” in boiling water.
First, rinse the pot in boiling water and let it sit covered for about 5 minutes (this is the trick to get the insides warm first so you don’t lose valuable cooking heat to the pot).
Put a room temperature egg into the pot – another trick. Don’t use eggs directly from the fridge because again, the temperature difference is too significant.
Cover the egg completely with boiling water – for the purpose of this experiment, I just used 98 degree Celsius water from my hot water dispense (too lazy to boil water)
Put on the lid securely and let it sit for 30 minutes.
And ta-da!
Oops, for mine, I kind of forgot about it and came back about 45 minutes later and found this… still awesomely yummy with a bit of sea salt.
More yummy experiments to come later. I’ve used the thermal pot to keep food warm though, like congee when my daughter was sick and it stayed toasty warm for over 6 hours! Definitely a neat find and will be trying other foods soon! YUM and YEAH for green technology!
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Here are suggestions for replacement ingredients for peanuts in Chinese soupsOne guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also exist...
Soup Name: Healing Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup with Fish Maw Traditional Chinese Name: 花膠雞湯 (huā jiāo jī tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. The star of this soup is FISH MAW. This takes collagen to the...
Soup Name: Delicious One Pot Vegetable Vermicelli Soup for Dinner. Literal translation from Chinese is "Mixed vegetables vermicelli pot soup". Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜粉絲鍋湯 (zá cài fěnsī guō tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
5 Tips for Exercising in the Cold (from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective)One guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also...
Soup Name: Shrimp Congee with Fresh Yams and Lettuce Traditional Chinese Name: 蝦粥 (xiā zhōu) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Want something easy? Want something delicious? This is the perfect lunch to make in 30 minutes...
Soup Name: Making a Delicious Lotus Root with Vegetables in Pork Broth Chinese Soup (with Roasted Fresh Peanuts!) Traditional Chinese Name: 蓮藕豬骨湯 (Lián'ǒu zhū gǔ tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. For this post, I made 6...
Simply described, this tool is a small, metal strainer, slightly cupped, made with thin wires which are woven together into a super-fine mesh. The small strainer is attached a to a long handle for easy maneuvering.
As its name indicates, the oil scooper is used to remove excess oil from your soups. The wire mesh has extremely tiny holes which allow only water and/or soup broth to strain through, leaving the oil, fat, and other small particles behind for easy disposal.
Although some fat is good for you and can add flavour and texture to soups, too much fat (especially animal fat) can make soups unpleasant to drink. Even if you blanch the meat before boiling, it is still possible to have too much undesired oil in your soup after it is finished cooking.
How to Use the Oil Scooper
To remove the excess oil, when your soup is finished cooking, open the lid and let the soup sit briefly. In a few minutes, the excess oil will float to the top where it can be easily scooped out with the oil scooper (or a spoon, although using a spoon is more time consuming).
To remove small particles from your soup, when the soup is on full boil, use the scooper to pick up small particles which may be pushed to the surface of your soup by the boiling water. Some small particles can make your soup less pleasant to drink and may include skin (which has come off the meat or tomato skin which easily falls off cooked, sliced tomatoes), seeds, leaves and other herbs.
Click here to see a video of the oil scooper being used.
Buying an Oil Scooper
This tool can be surprisingly difficult to find. I have purchased it for $2.00 CAD at a local dollar store in Toronto. I have also seen a similar tool sold online for $20 on Amazon.com.
Is it really called an “Oil Scooper”?
I’m sure there is an “official” name for this kitchen tool (perhaps strainer or skimmer), but for me, it is exclusively used as an “oil scooper”. In Cantonese, it is used to “peet yao” 撇油 (scoop oil) –hence its name.
As you can see from the photo, this is a well-used and well-loved utensil and I use it for almost every soup I make… and that’s a lot of soups!
This is a mesh polyester bag that is used for boiling soups
It is usually no bigger than a piece of A4 paper in area
The contents to put inside usually disintegrate in the soup and therefore the bag keeps it together (like fish)
It is an efficient separator of soup and ingredients
You can directly dispose of the unedible ingredients in the bag
Do not reuse the bag
How do I prepare it?
As a precaution, boil the bag in a pot of boiling water prior to usage
Where can I buy this?
You can buy this as individual bags from most Asian supermarkets
In Hong Kong, you can purchase this from wet marts
What is the cost?
The bag costs $1.00 CAD / bag
Any substitutes?
The substitute for this to boil the soup with the fish directly in the soup and then strain the soup to ensure there are no bones in the soup. This is especially critical if the soup is going to be given to babies and children.
You can strain the soup with various methods such as with a fine-meshed ladle