Soup Name: Snow Pear and Watermelon with Pork Shank Soup

Introduction:

This soup is excellent and ideal for hot summer days.  It’s also very good for children and relieves heatiness.  It is sweet to taste and the contents are extremely healthy to eat.  In many instances, the pork shank is served as a dish at Chinese restaurants sided with a rich soy sauce.  The meat is soft, tender and delicious to eat!  I love it!  My children love it!

300 g of fresh pork shank
3-4 snow pears
1/2 watermelon
2-3 large dried dates
3-4 L of water
1 teaspoon of salt (to marinate the pork shank)

How do I prepare it?

Pre-marinate the pork with the salt and let it sit for at least an hour (overnight is best)
Begin boiling your soup water
Blanch the pork in a separate pot of boiling water
Wash the snow pears, halve and core
Peel and cube watermelon into very large cubes
Add all the ingredients to boiling water
Boil for at least 2 hours

 Any benefits?

• Watermelon helps stimulate saliva secretion and quenches thirst
• Snow pears are cooling and help in nourishing the lungs and cooling the heart
• This soup is ideal for the summer months

Any precautions?

• Watermelon is an extremely “cooling” food.  Women who are pregnant, especially those less than 3 months into term, should drink with caution as watermelon is known to cause contractions.