Chinese Watercress Soup with Pork Ribs (Sai Yeung Choy Tong) Chinese watercress soup (or “sai yeung choy tong” as the Cantonese call it) is a classic Hakka recipe. My husband is half Chinese and his grandparents owned Chinese restaurants, so I feel like we could be considered experts in what’s good. Bring back to a boil, then add the watercress and the green onion. Bring the chicken and pork stock to a boil and add the chicken bouillon powder along with the salt. Heat up the soup to a boil, season with salt to taste, Wash the sweet corn and cut into sections, Place the sweet corn, watercress, honey dates, goji berries, lean pork and dried tangerine peel into the water, Set up your slow cooker by turning it on cook and adding 1 litre boiling water, Place the lean pork, honey dates, sweet corn, tangerine peel, and watercress into the pot, Bring the water to a boil in the slow cooker (make sure the slow cooker is able to handle 2 litres of liquid to prevent boil-over), Add the watercress and buddha's fruit and cook on high for 4 hours, Sweeten with a little sugar or honey (although it shouldn't be necessary as the buddha's fruit is sweet). Regardless how the vegetable came to China, it now has a firm position in Asian cuisine. He mentioned it is a Cantonese recipe. According to traditional Chinese medicine, people who have a weak constituency may experience diarrhea when they eat watercress. Remove leaves or stems that have wilted. Watercress is commonly used in Chinese cuisine as the main ingredient for making soup, congee and dumplings or is eaten just as a plain vegetable dish. It could be too cooling for some people. The Buddha's fruit or 罗汉果 (luo han guo) is a key ingredient in a popular Chinese herbal tea 凉茶 (liang cha) known for its cooling properties. All opinions expressed are my own. Chinese watercress is rarely eaten raw in Asia. Sauté the onion and garlic together. It was Chinese New Year and he invited us to his home for a dinner. To prevent this, add red dates, dried longan and ginger to make the dish warmer. Click on the image to the original source. But if you are serving this to old folks or children, cut them into shorter sections. Homemade Chinese Soups by Phoebe Lim Choon Lan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Which story sounds more plausible? | Privacy Policy | Disclosure and Disclaimer | This site is powered by SBI and has been live since 2006. (use more pork ribs if you like eating it with the soup), (we buy it from the local Asian supermarket), If you recreated this authentic recipe, I’d love to see it! The stems are quite short so they seldom need to be cut further because once they are cooked down, they are very soft. The Cantonese loved it. Photo from KasugaHuang at wikipedia. An easy Asian watercress soup with dates, goji and lots of ginger. It may be prepared as a cream soup or as a broth/stock-based soup using vegetable or chicken stock. 6 Chinese chicken stock recipes to help you make a mean pot of basic chicken stock. And so do a lot of people in Southeast Asia. If you wish to add protein to the dish, sprinkle with some roasted … He started growing them in Guangzhou and also gave some seeds to people in Macau and Hong Kong. Thank you for supporting the companies that keep this blog going. Get a large bowl and fill it up. In … Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Use them to enhance the flavor of all your dishes, not just soups. water, sugar, toasted sesame oil, scallions, salt, salt, cornstarch and 11 more. The combination of tender watercress leaves, red dates, carrots, ginger, and … Flecked with peppery watercress, these soft chicken dumplings make for a slurpy-good appetizer soup. So, why in the world is it called western vegetable? Lower the heat to a slow simmer and simmer the soup for about 4 hours (the simmering time depends on your preference for crunchy or mushy watercress), You know you are about there when you can smell the fragrance of the watercress in the air, Set up your slow cooker by turning it on cook and adding 1200ml boiling water, Place the pork ribs, red dates, chinese wolfberries, watercress into the pot, If your slow cooker has a low setting, switch to low at this point. The main ingredient in the Chinese watercress soup is the Chinese watercress. Although rare, watercress can also be stir-fried and make into sweet watercress tea (see the last recipe). M. Chen). Chinese watercress, like the round cabbage, is better when really well-cooked. Atama soup - a vegetable and palm nut soup that originates in South Nigeria. It became very popular and because it came from a western country, it was called the "western vegetable". Additional ingredients used can include vegetables such as potato, leeks, spinach, celery and turnips, cheese, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Watercress is a nutrient dense vegetable with amazing health benefits. Weight for weight, watercress … Log in, Dehydrated, Cured and Preserved Ingredients, Everything You Need to Know About Asian Noodle Types. It is quite distinct, nobody will mistake it for something else. Cook and stir carrots, ginger, and salt for 1 minute. Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) with Oyster Sauce, Sup Mang Cua (Vietnamese Crab and Asparagus Soup), Steamed Pork Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸排骨). Watercress is also diuretic, clearing facial blemishes and improves night vision. Tag me on Instagram at, Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window). It contains high levels of disease-fighting phytochemicals. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It is considered a superfood. Add the watercress last and press it a little into the water. The Cantonese love to use it in soup. They are usually simmered until mushy and dark. Watercress is also high in Vitamin C, vegetable protein, insoluble fibre, calcium, and potassium. Everyone enjoys this soup… I first tried the sweet watercress tea at my ex-boss' home. Read on to know why. As I said, I’ve always had a thing for tasty Asian soups. Also, it is said to have detoxifying and cancer-preventing properties as well. This is a list of vegetable soups.Vegetable soup is a common soup prepared using vegetables and leaf vegetables as primary ingredients.. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Your email address will not be published. It can be paired with pork, chicken, duck and fish. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and/or pepper if desired. Lower … :). Please do not re-use until you have read my copyright notice. Traditional Chinese Medicine states that this vegetable helps dissolves yellowish phlegm due to heat condition of the lungs (source: A Tradition Of Soup by Teresa. Don't worry if the watercress seems a lot, it will shrink. Along the stems are small outshoots with small oval leaves. The broth, made with cooked … But if yours came with them, cut them off first. Following is a picture of fresh watercress. Watercress can be used in stir-fry recipe, soup recipe or salad. Adjust the cooking time according to your preference for crunchy or mushy watercress. This perfect combination of tender watercress leaves, red dates, carrots, ginger and a drizzle of sesame oil is very appetizing with a bowl of warm rice! It can be simmered until it is very soft, so it is good for old folks who need to consume more calcium to prevent osteoporosis. A good variation of this recipe is to substitute the watercress with one or two zucchinis chopped into slices. I usually prepare small bunch of watercress during hot pot dinner. Grandma's Chinese Vegetable Soup My grandmother used to make this clear soup to be served during our family-style dinners. For this … Bring the soup up to a roaring boil, cover the inner pot, remove from stove top and straight into the outer pot. The vegetable must be able to breath to prevent wilting. Add the watercress to the stock and boil for 2 minutes. Try to use as soon as possible after purchase. Ingredients to prepare Chinese watercress pork ribs soup: watercress, spare ribs, Chinese red dates/jujube, and goji berries. Add the celery and thyme and heat for 1 minute. Besides, in the northern part of China, it is also used as the ingredients in dumpling or buns fillings. Years later, he relocated to Macau and brought the seeds to grow there. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, 5 Kang Kong Recipes Showing Different Ways to Cook it 空心菜食谱, 6 Chinese Chicken Stock Recipes to Enhance the Flavour of Your Food, 5 Basic Beef Stock Recipes To Complete Your Stock Making Repertoire, Place the pork ribs, red dates, chinese wolfberries into the pot. Or it could be my preference for really soft watercress in soup. refreshing and nourishing soup is an oldie-but-goodie in many Chinese households as well He attributed his survival to the watercress that he ate during his illness. It’s often overlooked at the market, because people don’t know how to prepare it. It is a soup that can be made in the slow cooker or slowly simmered on the stove top and makes for a very comforting meal when served with rice on a cold day. Watercress is packed with anti-oxidants and vitamins. Watercress soup is believed to have a ‘cooling’ effect on the body. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. It become popular as it grows well and have health benefits. If the cover is dancing, leave a gap for steam to escape (you can use a spatula or long chopsticks), Cook the soup till the watercress is soft and you can smell the fragrance in the air. … eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'homemade_chinese_soups_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_4',321,'0','0']));It is called 西洋菜 (xi yang cai) in Mandarin and it literally means "western vegetable". I love wonton soup, egg drop soup, and hot and sour soup is my favorite. There are 2 stories about how the watercress came to be known as the "western vegetable" 西洋菜 (xi yang cai). It's full of nutrients and is refreshingly light, packed with earthy flavours to keep you satisfied for the whole week! To store watercress, put it in an untied bag in the vegetable section of your fridge. He wasn't expected to survive but he did. 600 Premium Organic Watercress Seeds by Happy Seeds & Garden, Homemade Chinese Soups by Phoebe Lim Choon Lan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This is a sweet soup, a sort of cooling herbal tea. … Boil a kettle and pour the hot water over the potatoes and onions until it is just covering them. It is very popular among the Malaysian Chinese. Chinese watercress soup or 西洋菜汤 (xi yang cai tang) is not the same as watercress soup. In another pot of water, add pork bones, goji berries, watercress and red dates. It should be available in asian grocery stores in dried form. Unlike the watercress used in English creamy watercress soup which has thick roundish shiny leaves, this variety has long tender stems. With the omission of the cream and butter, this beautiful watercress soup is a fantastic dish for vegans and vegetarians. Place the inner pot of the thermal pot on the stove top and bring the water to a boil, Bring the soup back to a boil and continue to cook for about 20 minutes. Bring to boil. Take a bit of time to separate them. Chinese Soup Recipes. Watercress soup can also be taken as sweet herbal drink ( ‘leong cha’) to dispel body heat. If you try this and happen to experience loose stools, it is probably too cool for you. Chinese, Soup, Vegetables Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is a slow boil, clear, and nourishing soup. For the soup: 1 Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. What do you think? This is a soup with comforting flavor and takes just 15 minutes to make. Transfer … Bring to the boil and then simmer for a further 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Pregnant women should avoid this. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the fish is cooked and the watercress leaves are bright green and wilted. ; Afang; Borscht; Cabbage soup – prepared using sauerkraut or white cabbage. … He brought some watercress seeds with him. Chinese herbs like red dates, dried longan and goji berries are frequently added to balance the cooling effect of the soup. They are also sold in bundles so they tend to clump together. Be sure to use regular ground chicken (not chicken breast) for the best flavor and texture. Watercress soup is a French classic. Enjoy with cheese toast or a ham and cheese tartine and this is one of the quickest meals to get on the table. This Chinese Watercress Soup will make every family weekday dinner complete. BENEFITS OF WATERCRESS Watercress is filled with vitamin A, chlorophyll, sulphur, and calcium. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'homemade_chinese_soups_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',342,'0','0']));Legend has it that a Portuguese sailor survived a serious illness, probably tuberculosis. If not, just leave it. Watercress does not store very well. Slow boiled and nourishing Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is very, very popular among the Malaysian Chinese. Wash them well. Hearty, healthy wontons made with crisp watercress … I am flattered that people think my content is good enough to re-use. Add less red dates if you prefer the soup more savoury. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Simply boil the watercress leaves and … It is mostly consumed in the summer months for its cooling effect and in fall for its moisturizing properties. Watercress is usually sold without the roots. It is supposed to have very high SOD levels which means it is high in anti-oxidants. Since it was brought over from a western country by a western, the watercress was fondly called the "western vegetable". The fragrance of the vegetable really comes through when it is cooked well. In Chinese, we call this type of leave veggie as 西洋菜. The official Chinese name is 豆瓣菜 (dou ban cai). Watercress (西洋菜,sai yeung choi in Cantonese or xī yáng cài in Mandarin), is a super healthy vegetable. No measley small rice bowls because if you’re anything like me, you’ll go for seconds or thirds. Before serving, bring the inner pot out and back on the stove top. This recipe contains sweet corn which makes the soup extra sweet. This soup is a broth that has been simmered for a few hours to produce a really sweet soup. It is believed to be cooling and good for the lungs. You can also store this in the refrigerator and enjoy it cold. Please follow the instructions on my copyright policy page on how you can repost or re-use. Pictures appearing on this page are not necessarily mine. Add stock and 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Vegetable soups. Watercress soup is a soup prepared using the leaf vegetable watercress as a primary ingredient. Peel and slice the potatoes into small chunks, and add them to the onion for 5-10 minutes. Watercress soup is a very nourishing soup that is easy to cook. This Watercress Wonton soup recipe is sponsored by B&W Quality Growers. Around the 1930s, an overseas Chinese who migrated to Portugal returned to Guangzhou to visit his relatives. Herbal Watercress Tea with Buddha's fruit. RECIPE BELOW: This Cantonese hearty sweet slow simmer soup is reputedly good for dry coughs and can be consumed year-round. 5 basic beef stock recipes: peppery, milky, dark, strong and more. Use these kang kong recipes to prepare this quintessential Southeast asian vegetable. This easy Asian watercress soup has a slightly bitter taste, with some subtle sweetness. 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And Hong Kong some subtle sweetness store watercress, these soft chicken make... To be cooling and good for dry coughs and can be paired with pork, chicken, duck fish... Stock to a boil and add them to enhance the flavor of all your,! Old folks or children, cut them off first or salad sauerkraut or white.! With earthy flavours to keep you satisfied for the lungs site is powered by SBI and has been since... Remove from stove top and straight into the outer pot is one of the meals...