Name: Hubei Lotus Root and Pork Rib Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 95 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 500 g Pork Ribs, cut into individual rib pieces; 350 g Lotus Root, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm slices; 2 inch Ginger, cut into thick slices; 2 Spring Onion Whites, lightly crushed; 6 cup Water, plus additional water for blanching; ¾ tsp Salt, or to taste; ⅛ tsp Ground White Pepper; 2 Spring Onion Greens, thinly sliced

1 hr 55 mintotal

30 min hands-on1 hr 25 min hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 1 hr 35 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: None

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Ingredients

500 gPork Ribscut into individual rib pieces
350 gLotus Rootpeeled and cut into 1.5 cm slices
2 inchGingercut into thick slices
2Spring Onion Whiteslightly crushed
6 cupWaterplus additional water for blanching
¾ tspSaltor to taste
⅛ tspGround White Pepper
2Spring Onion Greensthinly sliced

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Plan on about 85 minutes of mostly inactive gentle simmering after blanching; the broth should barely move so it stays clear.

Method

Place the pork ribs in a pot and cover them with fresh water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the ribs under warm water and clean the pot.
5 min
Return the ribs to the clean pot with 6 cups water, the ginger and spring onion whites. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam from the surface.
Lower the heat, partially cover the pot and simmer gently for 40 minutes. The liquid should move only slightly rather than boil rapidly.
40 min
Add the lotus root and continue simmering, partially covered, for 35 to 40 minutes until the ribs and lotus root are tender.
35–40 min
Remove the ginger and spring onion whites. Season with the salt and white pepper, simmer for 2 minutes and garnish with spring onion greens before serving.
2 min

How to tell it's done

The broth should remain clear and clean-tasting, the ribs should be tender without falling apart and the lotus root should be crisp-tender.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the soup at a very gentle simmer after skimming; vigorous boiling will make the broth cloudy.

What to serve it with

Serve the clear broth, lotus root and ribs together in deep bowls with steamed rice on the side.

Common mistakes

The soup looks cloudy instead of clear.: Blanch and rinse the ribs, skim early foam, and keep the pot at a gentle simmer. A rolling boil breaks fat and sediment into the broth.

Substitutions

Pork Ribs — Choose meaty pork ribs with some bone and connective tissue; boneless pork will not give the broth the same body.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate lotus root and pork rib soup in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat until hot; freezing is possible for up to 2 months, though the lotus root softens after thawing.

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