Lotus Root and Pork Rib Soup

Method

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1. Put the ribs in cold water, bring to the boil and blanch 5 minutes. Drain, rinse them and wash the pot.

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2. Return the ribs to the clean pot with the water, ginger, whole spring onions, wine, peppercorns and tangerine peel.

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3. Bring to a bare simmer and skim, then cook gently, half covered, 60 minutes.

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4. Add the lotus root chunks and simmer a further 60 minutes, until the root is soft enough to break with a spoon.

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5. The broth should have thickened slightly and the lotus root should pull into fine threads when a piece is lifted.

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6. Add the salt and simmer 5 minutes more.

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7. Serve in deep bowls with white pepper and spring onion over.

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Chef’s Tips

• The starchy variety of lotus root, not the crisp one.
• A bare simmer for two hours. Boiling clouds it.
• The threads when you lift a piece are how you know it is done.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed rice
• A stir-fried vegetable
• Chilli oil on the side

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days and better on the second. Freezes 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.