Pork_Ribs_with_Carrot_and_Daikon_Radish_Soup_2

What I absolutely love about this soup is it’s simplicity and great versatility – you could throw together different combinations of vegetables and it would still turn out hearty and very tasty! This soup is best prepared with a broth, such as chicken stock, which will make it more flavourful and full-bodied.  I think if you wanted a vegetarian version, it would work just as well with a vegetable or mushroom broth.

Pork_Ribs_with_Carrot_and_Daikon_Radish_Soup_3

Technically speaking, there is only one carrot as the other two are radishes – white and green.  I don’t usually have the green radish on hand, so I add a fresh cob of corn and large onion into the mix – it still turns out wonderful! As I have found out over time, this recipe is very forgiving! You can try different combinations using carrots, tomatoes, corn, large onions, barley, squash, pumpkins or perhaps, even with fruit such as young papaya, Asian pears or apples.  Feel free to experiment!

Ingredients:

300 gm Pork Ribs or Meat
1 Large Daikon Radish, cut into bite-size chunks
2 Large Carrots, cut into bite-size chunks
1 fresh cob of Corn, cleaned and chopped into thick sections
1 Large Yellow Onion, peeled and quartered
6 pieces Dried Scallop
Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method:

1.  Fill a saucepan or small pot with water and bring to a boil.  Put in pork ribs or meat and blanch for a minute or so to remove impurities. Discard the water and wash the meat clear of all grit.

2.  Put all the ingredients into a slow cooker. Pour in chicken stock or water until just enough to immerse all the ingredients. Cook on Auto or High setting for at least 4 hours.  If cooking in a deep pot, bring all the ingredients in stock or water to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for at least 2 hours, or until meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Season to taste.

3.  When serving, scoop a little of each ingredient – meat, carrot and radish chunks, and corn – into individual serving bowls and fill with soup. Alternatively, you may scoop all the ingredients into a large soup dish and fill with soup. Serve hot.