Chinese ABC Soup
This will sound corny but ABC Soup is as easy as ABC to make! A staple in most Chinese households, it's the ultimate affordable and nutritious comfort food that is perfect on a rainy day. (I have tested it with a bouillon cube, broth made with a whole chicken, pork ribs, pork bones etc.)
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 oz pork bones
- 6 Cups water (If you find the water level goes too low as you're simmering, add ½-1 cup more.)
- 2-3 waxy potatoes (halved or cut in cubes, depending on size)
- 3-4 tomatoes (cut into wedges. You can also use cherry tomatoes cut in half. This will make the soup sweeter.)
- 1 carrot (cut into rounds. You can peel or not, depending on your preference. Not peeling will make the carrot a bit chewier.)
- 2 corn cobs (Cut into 3 or 4. Do not cut into 2- the pieces will be too big.)
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper (optional, or to taste. The flavor is strong so add it ¼ teaspoon at a time and taste as you go.)
Instructions
- 1
Place the meat or bones in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil to blanch and remove the scum.
- 2
Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then pour away the dirty water. Wash the bones and put them in a 2nd clean pot. Note: Blanching can be skipped with chicken if short on time- just skim off the scum produced as you simmer.
- 3
Add the 6 cups of water to the chicken or pork bones/ meat in the 2nd pot and bring to the boil. (Note: if using the stock cubes, dissolve the stock cubes in the water then bring to the boil.)
- 4
Once boiling, add the rest of the ingredients (except for the salt and pepper) then educe the heat to a simmer.
- 5
Simmer for 45-60 minutes. (If you use a rolling boil, your tomatoes will disintegrate.) Before serving, season with salt and pepper, to taste.Note: if you want firmer tomatoes, add them 5-10 minutes before you switch off the fire. Potatoes, corn and carrots are more firm so you don't have to worry so much about them breaking apart.