Monday, April 19, 2010

Old Cucumber Soup (老黄瓜汤)


Old cucumber soup is one of my kids' favourite soup dish and I cook this often.

I prefer to remove the skin when I cook this so it's easier for the kids when they eat.

This is one with the skin intact and I've added some wolfberries towards the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Old Cucumber Soup (老黄瓜汤)
(Serves 4 - 5)

Ingredients
2 Chinese old cucumber (老黄瓜)
500g pork ribs
2.5 - 3 litres water
2 - 3 honey dates
15 - 20 red dates
12 - 15 dried scallops (optional)
2 pcs dried cuttlefish, cut into smaller pieces (optional)
a handful wolfberries (optional)
salt to taste

Method
  1. Wash old cucumber and remove skin.
  2. Cut it in half, length-wise and remove the seeds. Cut into small pieces.
  3. Blanch pork ribs.
  4. In a pot, bring water to boil and add all the ingredients except old cucumber and wolfberries.
  5. Using medium fire, bring water to boil again and cook for 5 - 10 minutes, reduce to small flame and simmer for 1 - 2 hours.
  6. Add in old cucumber and cook for another 1 hour.
  7. Add in the wolfberries (optional) and let it brew in low fire for another 5 - 10 mins.
  8. Add salt to taste (optional) before serving.

9 comments:

Pete said...

This is my favourite soup. Love to eat the old cucumber with a little light soya sauce!

Ren- Lady Of The Arts said...

I make cucumber soup but I fry fresh cucumber in butter and purée with chicken stock- thank you for sharing!

tigerfish said...

I like this soup too! So easy to make , comforting and tasty. Such soups have been my weekly ritual at home.

MaryMoh said...

Mmmm....my favourite soup. I wish I can get old cucumber here.

Reanaclaire said...

Old melon.. yes, very nice and sweet esp with red dates too..cooling.. :)

WendyinKK said...

My late grandaunt taught me for this soup, put in a little bit of light soy sauce, just to "tiu mei", and indeed it taste much better than just with salt.
My Lydia loves the soft old cucumber.. eats a lot of it.

chris said...

Well done Looks yummy

Cosy Bake said...

This is one of our daily soup too! Hubby likes it a lot!!
Looks like we all are soup lovers.:)

Clare @ Mrs Multitasker said...

I love this soup but have never made it. Am inspired =) So good!