西洋菜胡萝卜排骨湯/Watercress, Carrot and Pork Rib Soup

I have been swamped this week because my poor little baby is sick.  She caught a really bad cold at the playground and on the first day she started getting a mild fever.  The doctor doesn't recommend any medication for this age, so I have to help her fight the virus using natural and traditional home remedies.  When a baby is sick, the most important thing is fluids.  I have been feeding her pear juice as a snack and a small bowl of homemade soup after every meal. When she was running a mild fever, I made her this Watercress, Carrot and Pork Rib Soup.  Every time she has this soup she always sweats a lot and the fever usually passes after a day without any medication.

This soup is similar to my another recipe - Watercress and Pork Rib Soup.  Watercress is categorized as a cold food in Chinese Diet Philosophy and it is very good for people who are running a fever.  Some cold/cool food has a naturally bitter taste.  Watercress usually doesn't taste bitter however if you cook too much of it for too long then it can be slightly bitter.  Adults may not taste the bitterness but babies are very sensitive eaters.  That's why I added carrots and honey dates to bring out the sweetness balance out the watercress perfectly.  Babies always love sweet foods so it encourages them to eat more and flush out their system.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of watercress (About 10 oz)
• 1 lb fresh chopped pork ribs 
• ½ oz sliced ginger
• 2 honey dates
• 3 oz carrots
• 3 quarter tsp salt
• 2 liter water (About half large pot)

Directions:

1. Peel the carrots and cut them in small cubes.  Clean the watercress.
2. In a large soup pot, add ribs, ginger, carrots, honey dates 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 2 hours then add watercress.  Cook for half an hour, add salt.  Now you are done!