Corn with Ham in Turkey Broth

by | Sep 21, 2010 | Soups for Children | 4 comments

Soup Name: Corn with Ham in Turkey Broth

Traditional Chinese Name: 玉米火腿火雞湯 (yù mǐ huǒ tuǐ huǒ jī tāng)

Introduction:

A simple, delicious and easy to make soup with readily available ingredients from your supermarket.  It’s healthy with minimal fat and the kids devoured it!

Ingredients:

2-3 turkey legs
3 fresh corn
10 slices of fresh ham
4 honey dates

2-3 L of water

How do I prepare it

  1. In a pot, add water and honey dates and bring to a boil
  2. Rinse and de-bone turkey legs
  3. Rinse corn and using a sharp knife, slice the corn off the cob by holding the corn upright (optional – but my kids love to eat the pieces of corn floating in the soup)
  4. Rinse ham in warm water and slice into edible pieces
  5. When your soup water boils, add all the ingredients together
  6. Boil on high for 30 minutes and reduce simmer for about an hour (this is to let the turkey meat soften and release flavors)
  7. Serve and enjoy!

Any benefits?

  • Easy to make and delicious
  • Quick soup that requires little preparation
  • Excellent source of protein
  • Turkey thighs are a low fat meat that is high in Vitamin B’s

Any precautions?

  • None!  Enjoy!

Ham (Fresh)

by | Sep 13, 2010 | Uncategorized | 1 comment

Ingredient Name: Ham (Fresh)

Traditional Chinese Name: 火腿(Huǒ tuǐ)

What is this?
  • The processed or cured thigh (or rump) of the pig
  • Ham is common to many cultures and is prepared differently in each culture
  • Also known as gammon in other parts of the world

How do I prepare it?

  • Can be used directly as purchased
  • Rinse in warm water (although not always necessary)
  • Most soups will slice or dice the ham before usage

Where can I buy this?

  • All supermarkets will carry

What is the cost?

  • Ham costs varies depending on the type of ham, but your average store bought ham costs around $2-3 CAD  for 5-6 slices
  • In Hong Kong, imported Ham costs around $30-40 HKD

Any benefits?

  • Pork contains many nutrients (including 6 essential vitamins)
  • It is a good source of iron, zinc, Vitamin B6 and protein
  • It is said to be a healthier red meat substitute over beef
  • Can be used immediately and directly in soup (or even as a garnish)

Any precautions?

  • Can be high in sodium as it is processed

References:

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham

Bok Choy with Chinese Ham in Pork Broth

by | Jun 24, 2010 | Soups for Children | 2 comments

Soup Name: Bok Choy with Chinese Ham in Pork Broth

Traditional Chinese Name: 菜乾火腿湯 (cài gān huǒ tuǐ tāng)

Introduction:

One of the best smelling Chinese soups I have ever made.  It is deliciously sweet and extremely beneficial to the lungs with it’s perfect combination of Chinese herbs that target to moisturize, heal, cleanse the lungs.  The dried bok choy and preserved Chinese ham are a great and common Cantonese combination for soups.

1 pound of fresh pork shank
3 large carrots
2 fresh corn
50 g of dried bok choy
100 g of Chinese preserved ham

1/8 of a luo han guo
1 piece of dried tangerine peel
1 tablespoon of apricot kernals
20 g of rice beans
4 honey dates
1 Codonopsis Pilosula Root (5 g)
3 g of wind weed rhizome
3 g of root bark of White Mulberry
2-3 L of water

How do I prepare it

  1. Blanch fresh pork shank in a pot of boiling water
  2. Boil your soup water
  3. Prepare carrots and corn by cutting into edible pieces
  4. Rinse well in warm water the dried bok choy and all of the additives (other ingredients)
  5. When water boils, add all the ingredients together
  6. Boil on high for 30 minutes and reduce to simmering for another 1.5 hours
  7. Serve and enjoy!

Any benefits?

  • Great for healing, aiding and cleansing the lungs
  • Ideal for relieving cough symptoms
  • Helps remove some heatiness

Any precautions?

  • Considered a cooling soup, so women who are less than 3 months pregnant should take caution
  • People who also can’t take too cooling soups should drink less (or avoid)

Preserved Chinese Ham

by | Jun 18, 2010 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Ingredient Name: Preserved Chinese ham, Preserved ham, Preserved Chinese pork, Yunnan Ham

Traditional Chinese Name: 雲腿 (yún tuǐ) or 火腿 (huǒ tuǐ)

What is this?
  • A salty, preserved meat that is of pork (pig) composition
  • Commonly known as Yunnan Ham because of a specialty of Yunnan Province (in China) to produce this type of product
  • It is usually the dried & preserved thigh or leg of the pork (which is produced with only the marination of salt on a fresh thigh)
  • The ham is flaky, crispy, slightly sweet and quite salty
  • It is commonly used in soups, stews, dim sum and other Chinese or Asian dishes

How do I prepare it?

  • Rinse in warm water before usage
  • Can cut up into smaller more edible pieces for soups (or use as a whole)

Where can I buy this?

  • Most supermarkets sell this pre-packaged

What is the cost?

  • Relatively affordable

Any benefits?

  • The ham brings a nice, salty flavor to any soup base
  • It is a slim cut of meat (so minimal fat)

Any precautions?

  • Use in moderation (due to the high amount of sodium)
  • Purchase your ham from a reputable source

Any additional information?

  • Store in a cool, dry place
  • Good for up to 6 months if stored in the refrigerator and less if not (they are usually marked with an expiry date)