Fresh Seabed Coconut and Lily Bulbs with Chayotes in Pork Broth
A super duper neutral soup that is ideal for all weather, although chayotes are more appropriate for Spring. I still use chayotes in the winter – especially combined with corn and carrots, provides a hearty meal along with the soup. Fresh seabed coconut is not easy to find, unlike the dried version. They make the soup mildly sweet along with the fresh lily bulbs (which are also not easy to find). If you do run into these at the supermarket or wet mart, I would highly recommend purchasing them for soup usage! The can be frozen for up to 6 months! This is an easy soup to make and can be made with pork or chicken. When it comes to soup, I rarely tell my kids what’s in it until after they have tasted it. To be honest, Chinese soups don’t always looks at appealing as it tastes!
Soup Name: Fresh Seabed Coconut and Lily Bulbs with Chayotes in Pork Broth
Traditional Chinese Name: 新鮮海底椰合掌瓜豬展湯 (Xīnxiān hǎidǐ yē hézhǎng guā zhū zhǎn tāng)
Fresh Seabed Coconut and Lily Bulbs with Chayotes in Pork Broth
Recipe Type: Chinese Soup
Cuisine: Chinese
Author: LadyTong
Ingredients
1 pound of [url href=”http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/pork-shank/”]fresh pork shank[/url]
3 large [url href=”http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/large-dried-dates/”]dried dates[/url]
3 L of water
Instructions
Start boiling your soup water
In a separate pot of boiling water, blanch the pork shank in the hot water for 5 minutes, remove from water and rinse in warm running water (to remove the pork foam that has accumulated)
Once you soup water boils, add in pork shank, largely cubed chayotes, fresh seabed coconut, fresh lily bulbs and dried dates
Boil on high heat for 30 minutes and reduce to a low boil for another 1.5 hours
My herbalist recommended I make this soup given the recent change of temperature and humidity. She actually only provides the “dried goodies” – see below – in terms of herbs. She will tell you that you additionally need a pork shank and chayotes to complete the soup. This soup is targeted to help reduce wetness in the body and aid with the dampness that comes with Spring in Hong Kong. It’s slightly sweet to taste, and surprisingly, my children drank it all!
Soup Name: Spring Chayotes and Figs in Pork Broth
Traditional Chinese Name: 合掌瓜豬展湯 (hup jeung gwa zhū zhǎn tāng)
Spring Chayotes and Figs in Pork Broth
Recipe Type: Soup
Cuisine: Chinese Soup
Author: LadyTong
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
1 pound of [url href=”http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/pork-shank/”]fresh pork shank[/url], cut and blanched
3 [url href=”http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/chayote/”]fresh chayotes[/url], largely cubed with skin
30 g [url href=”http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/apricot-kernals/”]apricot kernals[/url]
30 g [url href=”http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/lily-bulbs/”]dried lily bulbs[/url]
40 g [url href=”http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/lotus-seed/”]dried lotus seeds[/url]
40 g of [url href=”http://www.thechinesesouplady.com/fu-ling-or-tuckahoe/”]dried fu ling (or tuckahoe)[/url]
2-3 L of water
salt to taste
Instructions
Start boiling your soup water and immediately (while the water is still cold) throw in all the dried herbs (figs, honey dates, apricot kernals, lily bulbs, lotus seeds)
In a separate pot, blanch the pork shank for 5 minutes, drain and set aside
Once the water boils, add in cubed chayotes (with the skin on so it won’t completely disintegrate in the soup) and pork shank
Boil on high for 30 minutes
Reduce to a medium boil for another 1.5 hours (or put it in a thermal pot)
Salt to salt
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
[b]Any benefits?[/b][br][br]The combination of chayotes and figs help relieve wetness from the body as chayotes are diuretic.[br]The soup is high in potassium (which help remove water from the body).[br]Chayotes are often used in cleansing diets or used as the season changes to help cleanse the body.[br]Chayotes are rich in amino acids.[br]The soup is good for removing damp heat (from the fu ling).[br][br][b]Any precautions?[/b][br][br]Add the figs into the soup while it’s cold or it will turn the soup sour if you add it in hot. I have never tried it, but this is what both my mother and my herbalist tell me![br]Most melon soups, chayotes included, will sour the day after, so consume the soup that day.
3.2.2298
This is the base of the soup. Just add chayotes and any type of meat (either pork, chicken or fish).
Soup Name: Chayotes, Chestnuts and Longan Vegetable Soup
Traditional Chinese Name: 合掌瓜栗子素湯 (hup jeung gwa lì zi sù tāng)
Introduction:
This naturally sweet soup is rich in flavors and oil free. It’s a refreshing soup to drink in the summer and can be served chilled as it’s really quick and easy to make. I really like that it’s meat free because you can taste the chestnuts, the longans and all the vegetables. You can add various vegetables such as onions, green radish or tomatoes.
Soup Name: Snow Pears, Chayotes and Seabed Coconut in Pork Broth
Traditional Chinese Name: 雪梨合掌瓜湯 (xuě lí hup jeung gwa tāng)
Introduction: A mildly cooling soup that helps relieve heatiness, assist in cough and is naturally sweet. It’s great for kids, easy to make and contains all natural ingredients. You can use chicken meat with this instead of pork bones (or pork shank). If you can’t get fresh (or frozen) seabed coconut, the dried version is sufficient (although not as sweet, so you can substitute additional snow pears).
Soup Name: Chayotes and Corn with Seabed Coconut in Pork Broth
Traditional Chinese Name: 合掌瓜玉米海底椰豬骨湯 (hup jeung gwa yù mǐ hai di ye zhū gǔ tāng)
Introduction: A neutral soup that aids with cough and cold symptoms, it’s mildly sweet and brings moisture to the body. Rich ingredients make for a rich broth. Baby and pregnant friendly, it’s a great soup!