Pork soup recipe with american ginseng, lean pork and dates

This pork soup recipe featuring the american ginseng makes a great summer soup tonic.

American ginseng 花旗参 (hua qi shen) is reputed to be a gentle cooling herb.

This ginseng is found growing wild in the Northeast America. But due to over-harvesting, they are now grown commercially for consumption. Western scientists are now finding interesting compounds and substances that have impact on bodily functions. Traditional Chinese medicine prizes it for its ability to balance the yin and yang forces in the body.

Candied dates gives extra sweetness to the clear broth.

The recipe here uses the thermal cooker but you can use the slow cooker too. Use a normal soup pot for the first 20 minutes and shorten the cooking time by about 1 hour.

Ingredients

20g american ginseng
300g lean pork
3 candied dates
6 cups of water

Directions

1. Cut the lean pork into medium-sized chunks
2. Parboil the pork for about 5 minutes
3. Crush the american ginseng slightly with the side of your knife
4. Bring the water to a boil in the inner pot of the thermal pot and add all the ingredients
5. Bring the water back to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes
6. Remove inner pot from heat and transfer to the outer pot, cover and let it cook for 2 hours
7. Season with some salt before serving

Recipe link: http://www.homemade-chinese-soups.com/pork-soup-recipe.html