Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Sharkfin Melon Soup (鱼翅瓜湯）
Nutritional value:
Sharkfin Melon (Spaghetti Squash or Cucurbita Ficifolia) contains many nutrients including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. It is also a food low in calories.
Wolfberry contains many nutrients and phytochemicals including amino acid, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, vitamin B2, vitamin C and beta-carotene. Its reported possible medicinal benefits, especially due to its antioxidant properties, including potential benefits against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, vision-related diseases, having neuroprotective properties or as an anticancer and immunomodulatory agent.
Ingredients (serves 4-6):
1. Half a shark fin melon, washed thoroughly and cut into smaller pieces, seeds removed, but with rind intact
2. 2 Sweet corns, halves lengthwise
3. 2 carrots, cut into smaller pieces
4. 1 tablespoon of wolfberries
5. Pinch of salt to taste
6. 1 pot of water, 50% filled (about 1500ml)
7. 200 grams of pork ribs (optional), blanched
Method:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat
2. When water boiled, place all ingredients in the pot. Reduce heat to low fire. Simmer for 1 hour or until ingredients are soften. Cover the pot with lid, or lid slightly tilted on the pot, if soup is bubbling strongly.
3. Add salt to taste.
Tips:
For FTWM like me, you can also boil this soup with a slow cooker. Place water and all ingredients into the slow cooker, sprinkle some salt, and adjust slow cooker to Auto-shifted/ Low mode, before leaving your house for work. Soup will be ready when you reach home.
Try not to remove its rind for better nutritional value, its fleshes will not disintergate easily unless you're using it for dessert.
Sharkfin Melon (Spaghetti Squash or Cucurbita Ficifolia) contains many nutrients including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. It is also a food low in calories.
Wolfberry contains many nutrients and phytochemicals including amino acid, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, vitamin B2, vitamin C and beta-carotene. Its reported possible medicinal benefits, especially due to its antioxidant properties, including potential benefits against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, vision-related diseases, having neuroprotective properties or as an anticancer and immunomodulatory agent.
Ingredients (serves 4-6):
1. Half a shark fin melon, washed thoroughly and cut into smaller pieces, seeds removed, but with rind intact
2. 2 Sweet corns, halves lengthwise
3. 2 carrots, cut into smaller pieces
4. 1 tablespoon of wolfberries
5. Pinch of salt to taste
6. 1 pot of water, 50% filled (about 1500ml)
7. 200 grams of pork ribs (optional), blanched
Method:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat
2. When water boiled, place all ingredients in the pot. Reduce heat to low fire. Simmer for 1 hour or until ingredients are soften. Cover the pot with lid, or lid slightly tilted on the pot, if soup is bubbling strongly.
3. Add salt to taste.
Tips:
For FTWM like me, you can also boil this soup with a slow cooker. Place water and all ingredients into the slow cooker, sprinkle some salt, and adjust slow cooker to Auto-shifted/ Low mode, before leaving your house for work. Soup will be ready when you reach home.
Try not to remove its rind for better nutritional value, its fleshes will not disintergate easily unless you're using it for dessert.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Fritillaria (川貝), Figs & Apricot Kernel Soup (Sweet)
Nutritional value/medicinal effect:
This sweet soup, or rather, beverage, helps clear phlegm, stops cough and nourishes lungs. Suitable for young and old.
Ingredients:
Fritillaria (川貝) - about 50
Figs (無花果) - 4 pcs
Apricot Kernel （南北杏）- about 50
Ji Bing （桔餅）- 1 pcs
Pear (brown) - 1 (optional)
Stew boil with 4 bowls of water or with pear for 30 min.
This sweet soup, or rather, beverage, helps clear phlegm, stops cough and nourishes lungs. Suitable for young and old.
Ingredients:
Fritillaria (川貝) - about 50
Figs (無花果) - 4 pcs
Apricot Kernel （南北杏）- about 50
Ji Bing （桔餅）- 1 pcs
Pear (brown) - 1 (optional)
Stew boil with 4 bowls of water or with pear for 30 min.
Dried Fig (無花果), Apple and Almond (杏仁) Soup
Nutritional value/medicial effect:
A classic yun or harmonizing soup, suitable for any season.
Mo fa gwoh (無花果) is the Cantonese name for a variety of dried figs used in cooking. They are reputed to be good for moistening the lungs and therefore recommended to combat coughs. These figs are different from the figs eaten in the West. They are almost ivory-colored and are smaller, with more delicate seeds. If these figs are not available, regular dried or fresh figs can be substituted in this recipe.
Chinese almonds (杏仁) (which are actually not almonds at all but apricot kernels). Nom hung (南杏) almonds are from Southern China and are known for their sweetness. Buck hung (北杏) are from the north and are slightly bitter, but they bring out the flavor of the nom hung almonds. Chinese pharmacology, it is used as a drug rather than as a food as they contains cyanide (hydrocyanic acid). They’re used medicinally to combat cancer, stimulate respiration, improve digestion, help reduce blood pressure and arthritic pain and give a sense of well-being.
Ingredient:
- 1/4 cup Chinese almonds (nom hung)
- 4 to 5 Chinese almonds (buck hung)
- 3 medium red apples, unpeeled
- 8 ounces pork loin, well trimmed
- 10 Chinese dried figs, rinsed
Rinse almonds in several changes of cold water. Soak almonds in 1/2 cup cold water overnight to soften almonds. Core apples and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges.
In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add pork and return to a boil, skimming any scum that forms. Add the apple wedges, dried figs, almonds and their soaking water. Return to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 3 hours. Serve piping hot (no more than 1-1/2 cups per person).
A classic yun or harmonizing soup, suitable for any season.
Mo fa gwoh (無花果) is the Cantonese name for a variety of dried figs used in cooking. They are reputed to be good for moistening the lungs and therefore recommended to combat coughs. These figs are different from the figs eaten in the West. They are almost ivory-colored and are smaller, with more delicate seeds. If these figs are not available, regular dried or fresh figs can be substituted in this recipe.
Chinese almonds (杏仁) (which are actually not almonds at all but apricot kernels). Nom hung (南杏) almonds are from Southern China and are known for their sweetness. Buck hung (北杏) are from the north and are slightly bitter, but they bring out the flavor of the nom hung almonds. Chinese pharmacology, it is used as a drug rather than as a food as they contains cyanide (hydrocyanic acid). They’re used medicinally to combat cancer, stimulate respiration, improve digestion, help reduce blood pressure and arthritic pain and give a sense of well-being.
Ingredient:
- 1/4 cup Chinese almonds (nom hung)
- 4 to 5 Chinese almonds (buck hung)
- 3 medium red apples, unpeeled
- 8 ounces pork loin, well trimmed
- 10 Chinese dried figs, rinsed
Rinse almonds in several changes of cold water. Soak almonds in 1/2 cup cold water overnight to soften almonds. Core apples and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges.
In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add pork and return to a boil, skimming any scum that forms. Add the apple wedges, dried figs, almonds and their soaking water. Return to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 3 hours. Serve piping hot (no more than 1-1/2 cups per person).
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