Tuesday, March 22, 2011

蓮藕章魚綠豆排骨湯/Lotus Root, Carrot, Octopus and Pork Rib Soup

This Lotus Root, Carrot, Octopus and Pork Rib Soup is a little bit similar to the Pork Rib and Lotus Root Soup but this soup combines other ingredients like carrot and dried octopus.  This soup tastes not only refreshing and delicious but also has the good flavor of seafood.  I also added mung beans that are supposed to clam your body down and balance out with lotus and dried octopus.  


According to traditional Chinese herbal medicine, lotus root and dried octopus are hot food.  They make your body stronger but also make your body hot so if you eat too much of it you are likely to get pimples.  There is cold food that clams your body down and helps with digestion and removing toxins from the body, but on the other hand, if you eat too much of this type of food you may feel less energy.  


In Chinese cooking it's important to balance out "hot" and "cold" ingredients scarrots and mung beans will balance out perfectly with lotus root and dried octopus.  Same as any other Chinese soup, this soup can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.  Just make sure to boil it for a few minutes before eating or every 24 hour period.





Ingredients:

  • 1 lb fresh chopped pork ribs
  • 5 oz lotus roots
  • 3 oz carrots
  • 2 dried octopus
  • 1 cup mung beans 
  • 1 oz sliced ginger
  • 2.5 liters water (about half of a large soup pot)
  • 1½ tsp salt

Directions:

  1. Wash and peel the skin for the lotus roots and carrots, and then slice them lengthwise to your preference. 
  2. Soak the mung beans 15 minutes before cooking.  Wash, clean and soak the dried octopus 15 minutes before cooking.
  3. In a large soup pot, add ribs, lotus roots, ginger, carrots, dried octopus, mung beans and water. Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, and then use a soup strainer to strain all the dark bubbles on top of the water.  Reduce the heat to the lowest and cook for 3 – 4 hours, add salt.   Now you are done!  This is very easy, right!

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