1. Lamb soup with Chinese angelica root and ginger

This lamb soup is a warming tonic suitable for women who have just given birth or had a miscarriage.

Chinese angelica root or 当归 (dang gui) is well-known in Chinese cuisine for alleviating menstrual cramps. It stimulates uterus contraction and aids the clearing up of residuals within the womb after birth or miscarriage.

Old ginger does not mean shriveled ginger, they are merely ginger that have been stored in damp sand underground for more than a year. The colour is darker and the body of the root is firmer.

Both danggui and ginger are featured in many post-natal recipes because of their curative properties. Note: danggui is off limits for pregnant ladies.

If you have leftover lamb or mutton from the previous day, you can use it to make this soup. You don't have to parboil the meat, just cut it into large pieces.

Ingredients

• 15g danggui or Chinese angelica root
• 500g lamb or mutton (ribs or fillet)
• 150g old ginger
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp cooking wine
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the vinegar and parboil the lamb or mutton
2. Rinse to get rid of any grit or dirt
3. Scrub the ginger thoroughly. Rinse and cut into big pieces
4. Place the parboiled lamb and ginger into a big pot with 1 litre of water
5. Bring the pot to a boil and lower to a simmer
6. Simmer everything for about 1 hour or till the meat is tender
7. Add salt and wine to taste
8. Serve

2. A warm lamb winter broth

A lamb soup recipe that produces a warm broth with rice, leek and mushrooms. A bowl of hot and warm lamb broth packed with nutritional goodness can transform a cold miserable winter night. Don't you agree?

You can make use of leftover lamb to make this winter broth. Skip the step about marinating the lamb strips. If you can't find dried Chinese mushrooms, substitute with local fresh mushrooms. It will taste as good.

I would recommend using a rice cooker if you have a big one. It will minimize the time spent over the stove.

Ingredients

• 150g lean lamb fillet
• 50g white rice
• 850ml soup stock
• 1 leek
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 4 dried Chinese mushrooms
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Soak the dried Chinese mushrooms in room temperature water until rehydrated
2. Slice the mushrooms into thin slices
3. Do not throw away the mushroom water, strain it and add to the stock
4. Trim the fat from the lamb fillet and slice into thin strips
5. Marinate the lamb strips with the soy sauce and cornstarch
6. Wash the rice thoroughly to remove any excess rice starch and grits
7. Wash the leek and slice it diagonally into thin slices
8. Slice the garlic thinly
9. Add the stock to a deep saucepan or rice cooker and bring to a boil
10. Add the washed rice, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes
11. Add the lamb strips, mushrooms, leek, garlic, and rice wine vinegar to the rice and stock
12. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the lamb is cooked
13. Add salt and pepper to taste
14. Serve warm

3. Ginger lamb soup

As lamb is considered heaty so it is paired with radish for balance. A nice warm lamb soup is best for autumn and winter.

I recommend using the slow cooker or stew pot for this soup. You can start the cooking in the morning before going to work. Leave the leek and chilli in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat.

Ingredients

• 300g lean lamb
• 150g radish
• 1 leek
• 2 small red chilli
• 1 small piece of ginger
• 1 litre water
• 1 tbsp cooking wine
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Remove any skin or fat from the lamb
2. Cut the lamb into small cubes
3. Parboil for 2 minutes
4. Peel the radish, cut into small pieces
5. Wash the leek and cut diagonally into sections
6. Wash the chilli, cut diagonally and remove the seeds
7. Bring water to a boil, add the ginger and lamb and let it boil for 30 minutes
8. Add the radish
9. Lower the heat and simmer until the radish turns translucent
10. Test the lamb cubes for tenderness
11. Add the chilli, leek and seasoning
12. Bring to a boil and serve