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| Unlike my other 老火汤 recipes which require long hours of simmering, this is a relatively no-frills soup which can be done in a jiffy. So, if you are pressed for time yet craving for soup, this is the recipe for you. This is quite a light soup as the main ingredients are just Tofu and Seaweed. You may like to add some seafood, meatballs or even Yong Tau Foo to make the taste more robust. I happened to have some Prawns and Fish Maw lying around in the fridge so I added those into the soup as well. Here are some benefits of Seaweed: - Prevents fat absorbtion - Reduces water retention - Promotes mental youthfulness I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Bon appetit! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Today's main ingredient is a little prickly. I did not know that the Cactus could be eaten, much less turned into a soup, and a nutritious one at that. I was at my sister's place the other day when she asked me to stay for dinner as she is making this soup. My jaw dropped when I heard that. Never before in my life have I ever heard of "Cactus Soup". I did not stay for dinner that day although it did pique my curiousity for the next few days. Thus, when I saw Cactus pads for sale at the supermarket this morning, I decided to buy a piece home to try it out. Cactus Soup is really fuss-free and easy to make but most of all, it is very affordable and nutritious. Did you know that the Cactus contain beta carotene, iron, some B vitamins and are good sources of both vitamin C and calcium? Here are more benefits of the Catcus: - Reduces swelling - Expels heatiness - Strengthens immunity I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Bon appetit! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The Yong Tau Foo originated from the chinese ethnic group, Hakka. It is basically Tofu stuffed with minced meat (add some salted fish to the minced meat mixture for that extra oomph!) and deep fried. My Mum is a Hakka so she would made it for us periodically. I guess as time progresses, people became more health conscious resulting in more varieties being made with vegetables such as brinjal, okra, chilli pepper and bittergourd. The name Yong Tau Foo has thus been used liberally to apply to foods prepared in this manner. Yong Tau Foo in soup is generally a healthy (just omit the fried stuffs) one-meal dish comprising mostly of vegetables. Well, it just happened that it is one of those days when I felt lazy and do not want to cook up a storm in the kitchen. I bought some pieces of Yong Tau Foo from the wet market and simply threw them into the stock in the evening and voila, dinner is served. Serve this over a piping hot bowl of steamed rice. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Bon appetit! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Huai Shan (淮山), also known as Shan Yao (山药) or the Nagaimo, is a root vegetable belonging to the Yam family. Although I have seen them plenty of times at the wet market, it is still my very first attempt cooking the fresh variety. One interesting thing about this root was how slippery it would become the moment you started peeling off it's skin. It is almost like trying to grab a live eel which is desperately trying to wriggle out of your grasp! The soup is exceptionally flavorful that I do not even have to add any salt or MSG and I am amazed to find that Huai Shan tasted almost similar to the potato in texture. I am so loving this soup! Here are some benefits of the Huai Shan: - Antibiotic - Antioxident - Lowers blood sugar - Prevents osteoporosis - Lowers blood pressure - Improves digestive system I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Bon appetit! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Do not be mistaken. This is NOT Shark's Fin Soup with melon. This soup is made with a type of melon called Shark's Fin Melon (鱼翅瓜). This melon is so named because once cooked, the flesh will disintegrate into transparent strands that resembles shark's fins. Do not confuse this melon with it's cousin, Winter Melon although you could prepare them practically the same way! Here are some benefits of the Shark's Fin Melon: - Low in calories - Expels heatiness - Decreases blood sugar I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Bon appetit! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Slow-cooked soups (ie, soup cooked over slow fire for several hours) are particularly popular especially among the Cantonese. Being one myself, soup plays an integral part in my life. I grew up eating rice in soups and I could survive on that for every single meal. Tradition wise, it is also imperative to have soup on the table during festive occasions. Some foods are known for their healing properties and our forefathers have cleverly incorporated such ingredients into soups. Recipes for such soups vary infinitely, depending upon the desired health benefits as well as taste. Here are some benefits of Lotus Root: - Stops diarrhea - Relieves constipation - Clears heat and improve appetite I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Bon appetit! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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