This delicious, milky broth Chinese Soup is ideal for the whole family!  Made with a handful of Chinese herbs (dried dates, dried longans, and dried wolfberries) and fresh vegetables, the secret ingredient is Hokkaido whole milk!  An usual mixture, but very rich, smooth, and creamy, it’s a delicious addition to any meal!  Below, I’ve included both a youtube video of this soup and the standard recipe.

Start with fresh vegetables.  I use Japanese pumpkins (instead of your traditional Western Orange pumpkins).  The Japanese pumpkin is very starchy and can eat like a meal with the soup.  Keep the skin on when you’re making the soup so the pumpkin doesn’t disintegrate into the soup and melt.

Also, in Hong Kong, there is thing with this 3.6 Hokkaido milk.  It’s apparently the smoothest, richest, fattest milk available, aside from cream and one of the more reputable Japanese brands available.  You can find this in most Asian supermarkets here.  My kids love to drink this as whole milk, too!

Ingredients

• 1-2 large pieces of fresh pork shank
• 1 whole Japanese pumpkin, seeded and chopped large
• 2 fresh carrots, peeled and chopped large
• 2 fresh corn, chopped into quarters
• 2 tablespoons of dried wolfberries
• 2 tablespoons of dried longans
• 2 tablespoons of dried red dates (seed removal optional, although it is said that the seeds are fiery)
• salt as needed
• 0.75 L of fresh 3.6 Hokkaido Milk

Cooking Instructions

1. Boil two pots of water – one for your soup and one for blanching the pork shank
2. Once the smaller pot of water is boiling, gently lower the pork shank and let it boil (turning as needed to ensure it’s all cooked) for 5 minutes, drain and set aside
3. When your soup water boils, add in the Chinese herbs and blanched pork shank
4. Chop your carrots and corn and add to the boiling soup water
5. Half your Japanese pumpkin and using a spoon, hollow out the seeds, then cut into large chunks with the skin still on (this will prevent it from disintegrating in your soup) – then add to your soup
6. Boil in medium high for 30 minutes
7. Transfer the pot to a thermal pot, or continue to boil on medium low for an hour (still bubbling slightly)
8. minutes before you’re ready to serve, add 0.75 L of the fresh milk into the pot and boil on medium high for another 15 minutes
9. Salt as needed
10. Serve and enjoy – including all the veggies! They are so yummy!

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