Pressure cooker really makes my cooking easier, especially in making soup.
Very nice soup.
This is one of the dishes that I want to try for a long time. With a pressure cooker, it will be a lot easier.
Lotus root is very soft and so is sticky rice.
1，Put pig’s feet pieces into a deep pot. Add in enough water.
2, Bring the water to boil for about 5 mins.
3, Take all the pig’s feet pieces out and wash clean in water.
4, Put everything into pot: pig’s feet, lotus root (peeled and cut into chunks), red dates (makes soup taste sweet), ginger slices, soy beans (soaked in water for 1 hr), and carrot pieces.
5, Slow cook for 2 hrs.
Very nice soup.
I was born and grew up in northern part of China. Actually, my family didn’t have the habit of having soup during the meal. I know that people from southern part really like soup. Soup to them is a must-have dish on the table.
My husband is a soup lover. He basically likes all kinds of soup. Influenced by him, I start to realize soup’s charm.
There is a chicken rice stall near where we live. If you order chicken rice there, a small bowl of lotus root & peanut soup will be served as well. My husband loves the chicken rice there and also their soup. He mentioned more than once how much he loves the soup with lotus root and peanut in it.
That’s why I decided to cook this soup.
1. Rinse ribs under water.
2. Place all ribs in the pot. Pour in enough water covers and even higher than the ribs.
3. Bring to boil with high heat. Skim the soup.
4. Add in several ginger slices, lotus root chunks, some peanuts. Turn to low heat. Cook for 1-2 hrs.
Nice soup takes long time unless you have pressure cooker.
Season with salt before serving.
The amazing part of the soup is that it tastes a bit sweet even without adding in any sugar.
My husband can have 2 bowls of it.
My husband is a crazy soup lover. Chicken soup and Rib soup are two kinds which I always cook for him.
This time, I tried to make soup with black kidney beans.
1. Soak kidney beans in advance. 2-3 hrs maybe.
2. Wash ribs under water over and over again.
3. Place ribs in a pot. Add in enough water. Bring to boil with high heat. Skim all the dirt.
4. Turn to low heat. Simmer for 30 mins.
5. Add in lotus root and beans. Simmer for another 30 mins.
6. Seasons with salt.
It’s a very common dish during Chinese New Year. I still remember my mom used to make a lot of them before CNY, and they can be preserved for a long time and also can be cooked into many dishes. Its Chinese name is 藕盒 （ǒu hé）. 藕means lotus root. 盒means box. The name quite describes the appearance of this dish.
It’s my third CNY in Singapore. Staying away from hometown is really cruel especially during Chinese festivals. I decided to try this dish to help reduce my nostalgia.
1. Prepare the filling. Minced pork is a great choice. Mix minced pork with chopped ginger, and chopped spring onion. Then season with salt, black pepper, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil.
2. Prepare the lotus root. Peel and remove two ends. Cut into slices for about 3 mm. First cut should not be completed, second one is. Then the two slices will be connected and not fall apart.
3. Stuff lotus root with minced pork filling.
4. Prepare batter. 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup corn starch and 1 egg. Use chopsticks to stir them and pour into water at the same time. Stop when the batter can form a drop from chopsticks.
5. Deep fry them till golden brown. To make sure everything will be cooked. Turn to medium-low heat and fry longer.
This dish has a beautiful Chinese name, which is “He Tang Xiao Chao”. “He tang” means pond full of lotus, and “Xiao Chao” means stirfry. The dish is very colorful and pleasant to the eyes.
This dish requires many different vegetables. I always like lotus root, black fungus, snow peas, carrot and kernels.
1. Put lotus root slices and carrot slices in a deep pot. Pour in enough cold water and add in some salt. Turn on the stove.
2. When the water boils, add in trimmed snow peas. Boil for another 2-3 mins.
3. At last, add in black fungus and kernels. Boil for another 1 min.
4. Rinse all the vegetables and drain.
5. Heat a little oil in the pan. Sauté chopped garlic.
6. Put all the drained vegetables in the pan. Stir fry for 2-3 mins.
7. Sprinkle salt and stir fry for another minute. Then ready to serve.
Ribs can be stir fried, braised, steamed and also used to make soup.
Ribs, carrot and corn soup.
This is my husband’s favorite.
1. Ribs in the pot with cold water. Turn to medium heat. When the water boiled, remove the foam on the surface.
2. Put in corn. Cook for 30 minutes with low heat.
3. Add in carrot, and cook till carrot gets softened.
4. At last add some salt.
Carrot and corn will make the soup a little sweet. It’s really a healthy soup.
Ribs and water cress soup.
First step is same as above.
After water gets boiled and foam removed, turn to low heat. Put in some wolf berries and cook for at least 20 minutes.
Then put in water cress. I used half a pack.
When water cress is done, the soup is done.
Wolf berries are good for eyes. Recently, there is haze in Singapore, this soup is a good choice in such situation.
Ribs and lotus root soup.
First step also as same as above.
After foam removed, put in chopped clean lotus root pieces. Cover the pot with lid. Turn to low heat. Cook till lotus root is done. Last, sprinkle some chopped spring onion.
Lotus root will help to clean waste in human bodies, so it’s also a good choice in haze days.
Lotus root is a very healthy vegetable. And there are many ways to cook it. Sweet & sour lotus root is an easy dish and it can bring you good appetite.
1. Chop lotus root into pieces. And put them into boiling water for around 3 minutes. Then drain them.
2. Heat a little oil in the pan. Put the drained lotus root pieces in the pan. Stir fry a little.
3. Add in 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 2 tsp vinegar, 3 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 2 or 3 tsp water. Stir fry evenly for 2 minutes or so.
4. After each lotus piece coated with sauce, add in a little starchy water. Quick stir fry a little. You can sprinkle some chopped green onion if you like.
Some people like the sweet and sour taste, but some don’t. I think it’s also a good appetizer.
Cooking For Fun 