Fresh Seabed Coconut and Lily Bulbs with Chayotes in Pork Broth

Fresh Seabed Coconut and Lily Bulbs with Chayotes in Pork Broth

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:

新鮮海椰子合掌瓜豬湯 (Xīnxiān hǎidǐ yē hézhǎng guā zhū zhǎn tāng)

 

For soup videos, visit us on YouTube.

What’s involved?

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins medium high heat + 1.5 hours in thermal pot (or on low heat)

Total time: 2 hours 15 mins

Serves: 8 bowls

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

  1. Start boiling your soup water
  2. 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)
  3. Once you soup water boils, add in pork shank, largely cubed chayotes, fresh seabed coconut, fresh lily bulbs and dried dates
  4. Boil on high heat for 30 minutes and reduce to a low boil for another 1.5 hours
  5. Salt if necessary
  6. Serve and enjoy!

For more videos, visit us on YouTube.

 

 

 

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Seabed Coconut or Coco de Mer

Seabed Coconut or Coco de Mer

 

Ingredient Name:  Seabed Coconut, also known as Coco de Mer, Double Coconut, Coco Fesse or Seychelles Nut.  Its scientific name is Lodoicea maldivica.

Traditional Chinese Name:  海底椰 (hai di ye)

What is this?
  • It is the fruit of the Coco de Mer palm tree
  • The fruits are known to produce the largest fruit known to man
  • The fruit takes 6-7 years to mature and another 2 years to germinate
  • It was mytically believed to grow from the bottom of the sea (hence part of its name)
  • The fruit is commonly used in Chinese medicine
  • The trees are considered “threatened” and “vulnerable” and have become extinct in many tropical islands where they used to grow

How do I prepare it?

  • Fresh seabed coconut is usually found in frozen form and prepackaged (see picture on the left)
  • Remove packaging and thaw at room temperature for at least an hour
  • Wash in warm water to remove debris and dirt
  • You can halve it or use it whole in soup
  • Dried seabed coconut needs to be rinsed with warm water and can directly be added to soups (see picture on the right)

Where can I buy this?

  • You can purchase frozen seabed coconut from most wetmarts in Hong Kong
  • They are also available frozen at most Asian supermarkets
  • You can buy dried seabed coconut from Asian pharmacies

What is the cost?

  • A bag of 6 frozen seabed coconuts cost around $25 HKD / bag

Any benefits?

  • Seabed coconuts are said to help nourish the skin and keep skin tone even
  • It asissts in eliminating sputum and suppressing cough
  • It also assists in removing mild heatiness
  • When boiled in soups, it is mild enough for children and ideal for everyone to drink

Any precautions?

  • Use with neutral vegetables (such as corn and carrots)

Additional Information?

  • Dried seabed coconut have a long shelf life of up to a year if kept in the fridge
  • Frozen seabed coconut can be kept for up to 1 month in the freezer, but if thawed, must be used within a few days

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