Confessions of a CFO: Yan Can Cook, So Can YOU

This blog is about food so... I thought I'd share this how to make Chinese soup guide with you since I put it together for my friend.

“Green and Red Carrot Soup” 青紅蘿蔔湯

This has been one of my favorites since I was a kid. It’s relatively easy to make and is good for you especially in the winter time because it’s… how do I say it… it’s “moisturizing” for your body internally. Also good for when you are feeling hot air (热气)… like when you are getting pimples or sore throat. This might seem like a lot of work but it really isn’t especially once you get into the routine.

Ingredients (pictures at bottom of entry in case you don’t know what to look for)

·         1 green radish (look for ones bigger in girth (not length). Size matters)
·         1 “red” carrot (again look for thick ones, preferably the really muddy, dirty looking ones from China since those have the most flavor)
·         3-4 pieces of pork bones that are about 4x8cm in size
·         4-5 pieces of dried candied dates (“mut jo”) – you might need to get these from China town Chinese drugstores/pharmacies or supermarkets
·         10 pieces of Chinese South-North almonds (optional, good for your throat)
·         Half (or full if you have a big enough pot) a cob of corn (optional, for extra flavor)

Instructions
1.     Boil half a pot of water using a stainless steel pot (what I usually use, but you can use whatever works best for you as well) around 30 CM in diameter and 15-20 cm in height (I don’t remember the exact size… just a rough idea)
2.     While you are waiting for the water to boil, skin the carrots and green radish and chop to small pieces (around 2-3 cubic cm) – remember to wash them of course. (Steps 3 and 4 are optional, just if you want your soup to be more “clean and clear” and less fatty stuff floating around… also gets rid of the freezer taste if you bought frozen pork bones.)
3.     Once boiled, put in the pork bones and boil until they turn color (grey, i.e. kinda cooked on surface) and strain the water out and rinse the bones with cold water under the tap.
4.     Toss out the water in the pot, wash out the fatty stuff and boil some fresh water half way up the pot again
5.     Once the water boils, toss in the carrots, green radish, pork bones, candied dates, and almonds
6.     Boil for 1-2 hours and let it sit for another 1-2 hours, then boil for another hour or so. By this time your soup should be brownish and should smell pretty good.

Other tips

·         If too much water has evaporated you can pour in more boiled water. This is also a good way to adjust the taste (add more water to dilute, boil to evaporate more water out to “strengthen” the taste).
·         If for whatever strange reason your soup doesn’t taste like the soup my mom makes (I think you’ve tried before), add some Knorr’s chicken powder and/or salt. I don’t add any to mine because I have already mastered the art of making soup.
·         The reason why you want to chop to small pieces is so the flavor comes out of the ingredients faster, thereby reducing boiling time.
·         You will end up with a big pot of soup so likely you won’t finish in one sitting. You do not need to put the soup in the fridge, just remember to boil it thoroughly and DO NOT STIR it after and it won’t turn bad.
·         Because I don't have much time to cook during the week, I like to make this soup on Sunday so on Monday, I can take some of the soup into a smaller pot and cook a vermicelli with it and eat the carrots, radish and pork bones as the side dish. Added bonus, eat the carrots, radish and pork bones with soy sauce and chili bits.

Pictures below so you know what to look for when shopping.