DRIED FIGS, YOKE CHOK CHICKEN SOUP

This is an easy and simple herbal soup which is soothing for the body.  A rather quick cook soup than that with various herbs which requires long simmering time to bring out the flavours.  This one requires the soup to be boiled for 5 minutes, then simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes.

It is a clear soup that is sweet and fulfilling and not oily with the skin removed.  Lovely soup to go with rice.

What is Yoke Chok? - This is a yellowish root that usually comes in silvers.  It is said that Buddhist priests use it for its anaphrodisiac properties.  Also reputedly good for treatment of pancreas, lungs and throat ailments.

Recipe adapted from my selected cookbook for this month's Cookbook Countdown Event#6 - Home Cooking June 2001 issue [with modifications]

Ingredients

1/2 a chicken or 2 piece chicken whole legs - skinned and cut bite size pieces

5 pieces dried figs

10 strips of yoke chok

3-4 red dates

1 litre water

1/2 tsp salt to taste

1. Blanch chicken in boiling water for several seconds.  Drained and rinsed.
2. Bring water, dates and herbs to boil in a soup pot or claypot for 5-10 minutes before adding the chicken.
3. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked and tender.  Serve hot.
4. You may simmer the soup for longer time to get a more concentrated soup as a result of evaporation. 

I am sharing this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

THERMAL COOKER - CHICKEN, WHITE FUNGUS AND GOJI SOUP

I have cooked a similar soup like this [here] using a soup pot.  This time, I tried preparing this soup with my Thermal Cooker after watching the recipe in a TV show.  It is a family style soup from a Sarawakian family.  The ingredients are simple with only 3 ingredients [white fungus, chicken and goji].

Instead of meaty chicken, I used free range chicken.  The soup is clear, tasty and not oily.  The white fungus is soft.  Nice slurpy soup that is so easy to prepare.   

I transfer the soup into a claypot and reheat before serving.

Ingredients

1/2 free range chicken - cut bite size pieces [with or without skin]

10 gm white fungus - soaked to fluff up - break into florets

1-2 tbsp wolfberries [goji] - rinsed and drained

salt and chicken stock granules to taste

1.2 litres water [adjust accordingly]

1. Blanch chicken pieces in boiling water to remove any scums.  Rinsed.
2. Pour water into the inner pot of thermal cooker, bring to boil with white fungus.  Add in chicken and goji when water boils.
3. Bring to boil for a further 10 minutes.  Add in seasoning to tastes.  Off heat, cover lid and transfer pot to outer pot. Close lid and leave soup to cook for 1 to 2 hours.
4. Remove inner pot from cooker, reheat soup before serving [if you prefer hot boiling soup] otherwise, serve immediately.
   
   
   
   

THERMAL COOKER - BUDDHA’S GOURD SWEET POTATO PORK RIB SOUP

These days, I love to cook soups using my Thermal Cooker especially those soups that require a longer simmering time like pork ribs and chicken. With the thermal cooker, I need not have to simmer soup or watch over the stove all the time. I find that the soups are clear and the meat are just tender. This soup is high in fibre, the natural sweetness comes from the Buddha’s gourd and sweet potatoes. The seasoning ingredients are salt, wine and pepper.

Moreover, the pork ribs are just tender together with the other ingredients.
 A good homey comfort soup suitable for all ages. 
Ingredients
1 small Buddha’s Gourd – washed and cut chunky pieces 
1 small sweet potato – peeled and cut chunky pieces 
300 gm meaty pork ribs – blanched and rinsed
4 dried mushrooms – soaked, keep whole or halved
1 tbsp wolfberries [kei chee] 
1 litre water or stock
Seasoning
1 tbsp wine
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring water or stock to boil in inner pot of thermal cooker [you can cook this soup with normal pot, the usual way], add in pork ribs.
2. Bring to boil for about 20-25 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients and let in boil for another 5-10 minutes. Cover pot and transfer to outer pot of Thermal Cooker.
3. Close the lid and leave the soup to continue cooking in it. Soup should be ready within 1-2 hours.
4. Before serving, bring soup to boil, taste to adjust seasoning.
5. Serve hot in soup bowl.
   
    
   
   

EZCR#51 - THERMAL COOKER - GINGKO, CARROTS AND PORK RIBS SOUP

Again another easy soup prepared on one of my busy days using the Thermal Cooker.  Always good to have a good soup especially during this hot, humid weather.

This soup is a healthy soup with a combination of ingredients that are beneficial to ones health.  Gingko nuts [Bai Guo] are known for its anti aging properties and sharpen memory.  This herbal cuisine is good for all, especially weak children and the elderly. Long-term consumption helps nourish yin, maintain youth, fight aging, expand capillaries, improve metabolism, prompt ruddy and healthy look, provide extra energy, and grant longer and healthier lives.

We have this soup with glass noodles instead of rice for a light meal.  The soup is clear and and the ingredients are tender, lightly seasoned with a traditional flavour.

Ingredients

[serves 3]

300 gm meaty pork ribs

1 white carrot - peeled and cut wedges [keep the leaves]

1 red carrot - peeled and cut wedges

100 gm gingko nuts - shelled and skin removed

1 tbsp wolfberries [kei chee] - rinsed

several slices of ginger

3 big bowls of water

Seasoning

1 tbsp wine

salt and chicken stock granules to taste

dash of pepper

1. Bring water to boil and blanch pork ribs to remove scum.  Rinse well to remove any impurities.  Set aside.
2. Bring water to boil in inner pot of Thermal Cooker, add in all the ingredients.  Let it boil for 15-20 minutes.
3. Transfer pot to outer pot, cover the lid and leave to cook for 2 hours or until ribs are tender.
4. Serve hot with rice or blanched glass noodles.
   
   
   

GARLAND CHRYSANTHEMUM PORK RIB SOUP

This vegetable is often cooked in soups and a common accompaniment for steamboat.
A nutritious soup that can be served as a noodle dish or with rice.

Recipe from this month's selected cookbook for Cookbook Countdown #3 - Home Cooking Magazine [January 2001] - modified 

Ingredients 

[serves 3]

200 gm meaty pork ribs - cut bite size pieces and blanched

1 tbsp preserved vegetables [tong chai] - rinsed

3 cloves garlic - keep whole

10 gm glass noodles [tang hoon] - soaked and drained

3-4 stalks garland chrysanthemum [tang oh] - rinsed

750 ml water

light soy sauce and salt to taste

dash of pepper

1. Rinse vegetables several times, cut off the roots and soak for about 5-10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
2. Bring water to boil with garlic, tong chai and blanched pork ribs.  simmer until pork ribs are tender.  Seasoned with soy sauce and salt to taste.
3. Add in glass noodles, then vegetables to cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Serve immediately
   
   
   

Notes: Garland Chrysanthemum commonly known as 'tong hao' or 'tang oh' is a light green leafy vegetable [especially the older plant] that has a delicate bitter taste.  The younger plant has smaller, petite leaflets that grow in a bunch.

Quite hardy leaf, sold with roots intact and can be kept fresh by placing the roots in water and refrigerating the whole vegetables or by refrigerating it wrapped in a plastic bag with holes.  It can be sandy near the bottom of the stems, a thorough wash is needed to remove any residue.  Rinse the vegetables with roots intact several times before soaking the vegetables for about 5-10 minutes before cooking.

It is rich in chlorogenic acid, carotene, flavonoids, vitamins and potassium, and can offer a multitude of health benefits. Some of the beneficial effects associated with eating garland chrysanthemum leaves include weight loss, antioxidant protection, a reduced risk of lung cancer, as well as protection against cardiovascular problems, kidney stones,  cellulite, bloating and bone loss.

Source: http://www.healwithfood.org

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

FISH MAW SOUP [NYONYA HU PIOH T'NG]

There are usually some leftover fish maw from CNY steamboat.  I used it to cook this yummy-licious, tasty soup with prawns and meatballs.

Good quality fish maw is rather expensive especially during festive season and we must not waste them.  Good quality ones will expand quite a lot and not soggy after cooking.  They are soft but chewy.  If you do happen to have these ingredient leftover from your CNY reunion steamboat, do keep them for this soup.

Recipe Source for my selected Cookbook for February 2016 – Nyonya Flavours [modified]

Ingredients

30 gm fish maw - soaked to soften and cut small pieces

a few slices of ginger

100 gm yambean or water chestnuts - sliced 1/2 cm thick

50 gm red carrot - sliced 1/2 cm thick

50 gm Chinese cabbage [I omit]

some fried crispy garlic

chopped coriander or spring onions

Seasoning

1 litre water

1/2 - 1 tsp salt to taste

1/2 tsp chicken stock granules

Prawn Paste [mix together]

200 gm shelled prawns - finely chopped

1 tbsp tapioca flour

salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring water to boil in a pot.  Add in ginger and fish maw.  Allow to boil for 5-10 minutes until fish maw is soft.
2. Add in the yambean/water chestnuts and carrots [cabbage if using].  Season to taste.
3. Let ingredients cooked for a further 5 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.
4. Scoop prawn paste into balls using a wet, metal teaspoon and drop them into the boiling soup.  Allow to cook fro 1-2 minutes.
5. Serve soup garnished with coriander or spring onions and some fried garlic.

This post is linked to Cook and Celebrate: Chinese New Year 2016 hosted by Yen from GoodyFoodies, Diana from The Domestic Goddess Wannabe

and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids

 

I'm submitting this post to Cookbook Countdown 2 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking [Makan2] Foray