Recipe: Huai Shan With Spare Ribs Soup 淮山排骨汤

Huai Shan (淮山), also known as Shan Yao (山药) or the Nagaimo, is a root vegetable belonging to the Yam family.

Although I have seen them plenty of times at the wet market, it is still my very first attempt cooking the fresh variety.

One interesting thing about this root was how slippery it would become the moment you started peeling off it's skin. It is almost like trying to grab a live eel which is desperately trying to wriggle out of your grasp!

The soup is exceptionally flavorful that I do not even have to add any salt or MSG and I am amazed to find that Huai Shan tasted almost similar to the potato in texture.

I am so loving this soup!

Here are some benefits of the Huai Shan:

- Antibiotic
- Antioxident
- Lowers blood sugar
- Prevents osteoporosis
- Lowers blood pressure
- Improves digestive system

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Bon appetit!
Ingredients A:
1 section Nagaimo (淮山) (peeled and cut into chunks)
Spare Ribs 250gm (blanched)

Ingredients B:
(All to be soaked in water till softened. Retain the liquid to be added into the soup)
6 Red Dates (红枣)
2 Dried Honey Dates (蜜枣)
1 tbsp Wolfberries/Goji (枸杞)

Method:
1) Boil a pot of water (1.8L)
2) Add Ingredients A
3) Add Ingredients B except Wolfberries/Goji
4) Allow to boil, then reduce fire to simmer for 45 minutes
5) Add Wolfberries/Goji ten minutes before serving
6) Serves 4
Click to enlarge
Note:
  • I actually boiled my soup for about 1.5 hours rather than the 45 minutes mentioned above as I preferred my soups to have a richer taste.
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