aunty celia's family meals: Basic principles of cooking Chinese soups (how to cook Chinese soups)

Home-cooked Chinese soups are normally non-starchy, clear, easy to drink, and less fattening. It is a nutritious replacement for water, especially during confinement and illnesses. It can be a wholesome meal on its own because of the meat and vegetables added. Depending on the ingredients used, the soup can be heaty, cooling or neutral to suit weather changes or a person’s constitution. Sometimes corn starch slurry is added to thicken the soup as for hot and sour soup.

There are two techniques for cooking the soup. The bāo (煲) technique is to bring the stock to a rolling boil over high heat. The flame is then lowered, and the soup is simmered for 3 - 4 hours. The dùn (炖) or double boiling technique is a much slower and more gentle process. It is characterized by placing a ceramic pot within an outer pot of boiling water which should be replenished regularly.

Slow cooked soups

Basically, chicken or pork bones are used to cook the stock. The bones give the soup a rich and sweet taste and supply protein, calcium and fat that is essential for the extraction of fat-soluble nutrients from the vegetables.

Pork bones with little or no meat

Remove and discard before serving

Meaty pork ribs

Most people do not like to eat the ribs, so they are thrown away. What you can do is to recycle the ribs. See the recipe for recycled pork ribs.

Roasted pork bones

Chicken carcass
Like pork ribs, the carcass is usually thrown away. However, you can also recycle the meat. See recipe for recycled chicken.

Whatever meat you use, it is important to blanch it in boiling water to remove the scum, otherwise, the soup will not be clear. Throw away the dirty water and rinse the meat.

Transfer to a pot of clean boiling water and add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil again then cover and simmer until the meat and vegetables are cooked.

How much water to use?
This will depend on how many people will be drinking the soup. I normally allocate one soup bowl per person and an extra bowl in case anyone wants more; therefore, if there are three people eating then I will use 4 bowls of stock or water for the soup. This way there is no wastage.

What vegetables to use?
Root vegetables and melons require a longer cooking time, so it is best to pair them with meat bones. They should be added to the soup at the beginning of the cooking process.

Carrots

Green papaya

Lotus roots

Sour sop

Old cucumber

Other ingredients that can be added to make the soup tastier and more nutritious are:

Red dates are most widely used in Chinese pharmacopeia by adding to herbal formulas to prolong, enhance, and harmonize the effect of the other ingredients. Dates are very therapeutic for the elderly, young people during their growth period, and women prone to anaemia. They are also a good tonic for people who are recovering from an illness or afterbirth.

Yuk chuk (Solomon’s seal) is a bittersweet, astringent, tonic herb used to remove freckles, spots and marks for a fresh, fair and lovely skin. Solomon's Seal has been used for "female complaints" and is thought to be helpful in easing menstrual discomforts, as well as leukorrhea (vaginal discharge).

Keichi (Chinese wolfberry) is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially in vitamins A, C, and E, flavonoids and other bioactive compounds. It is also a good source of essential fatty acids, which is unusual for a fruit. Best known to correct poor eyesight and eye strain therefore drinking soup or a drink made with wolfberries would benefit people who read or stare at computer screens for long periods of time. When used in conjunction with other herbs it is effective for improving energy and strength to alleviate aching back and legs, diabetes, premature white hair and improve sexual function and fertility.

Pots for cooking soups that require longer cooking time

Slow cookers or crockpots are ideal if you are very busy and do not have the time to watch over the soup. You can cook it overnight in the slow cooker or in the morning, so the soup is ready for dinner.

It is best to use boiling water to speed up the cooking process.

Put in all the ingredients, cover, and turn on the cooker

Thermal cookers are another option whereby you use minimal gas or electricity. It works by trapping heat inside the pot, so the food continues cooking without an external heat source. The soup will not dry up and the ingredients are cooked just right. There is no release of grease, odor or smoke either, meaning a cleaner kitchen and less housework.

Prepare the soup in the inner pot and bring it to a boil.

Let the soup boil for five minutes and then transfer it to the outer pot.

Cover and leave it to cook.

Remove the inner pot and warm up the soup before serving.

Thermatec clay pot

Like thermal cookers, this clay pot continues cooking without an external heat source thereby using minimal gas or electricity. The glass glaze conducts heat quickly and evenly, and the infrared function effectively retains food nutrition and flavour. It is water absorbent so needs a bit more water. It is suitable for all kinds of stoves.

The set comprises of a pot, an inner flat lid and an outer lid.

Put all the prepared ingredients into the pot, cover it with the inner lid and bring to a rolling boil.

When you see steam coming out of the 2 holes in the lid, reduce the fire to low, put on the outer lid, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Do not put on the outer lid at the start or the soup will boil over and spill. Turn off the heat after 5 minutes and the soup will continue cooking. Warm up the soup before serving.

A porcelain double boiler is the method of choice for cooking nourishing Chinese herbal or tonic soups. Full flavour extraction can take up to 4 hours. The inner pot must not be uncovered until the end of the cooking time. This allows the soup to retain its essence - taste, healing properties, and nutritional value and there is no liquid evaporation.

Nowadays it is easy to cook herbal soups as there are a variety of pre-packed herbs which are in sachets so no mess.

Place all the prepared ingredients in the pot. Add required amount of hot water and cover with the inner flat lid and then the outer lid.

You can use a wok, stainless steel pot or slow cooker as the outer pot.

Place a piece of cloth under the double boiler to prevent it from tipping over.

Cover the double boiler.

Simmer over low fire for 3 – 4 hours.

Check regularly to make sure the water does not dry up.

Examples of different types of slow-cooked soup combinations

Kiam chye with roast pork bone soup

Old cucumber with chicken bones soup

Cordyceps with pork ribs soup

3 carrots with roast pork soup

Quickie soups

If you don’t have time to make the stock, you can use instant stock cubes or ready-prepared stock or broth to make what I call my quickie soups. It is ideal if cooking soup for one or two people or for cooking western soups. You can add fish balls, meatballs, chicken strips, or eggs to make the soup tastier. You can also use fish bones or prawn heads and shells to cook the stock.

Chicken or fish stock cube

Vegetarian stock cube

Ready prepared stock😍

Ready prepared broth

Green leafy vegetables are most suitable as they cook very fast. They should only be added about half an hour before serving or the leaves will become very mushy. Do not cover the soup after adding the vegetables otherwise, the leaves will turn yellow.