Cabbage and Pork Soup

Bai Cai Tang

SERVES:4

1.2 litres(2 pints) chicken stock

175g(6oz) lean pork, shredded

4 teaspoons light soy sauce

2teaspoons shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

Vteaspoon sesame oil

2teaspoon cornflour

1tablespoon groundnut or vegetable oil

375g(12oz) Chinese leaves, shredded widthways

1teaspoon dark soy sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper

chopped spring onions, to garnish

Chinese leaves(Peking cabbage) with its tightly packed, firm, crinkled leaves has a sweet taste and pleasing texture, making it a popular ingredient in China for soups.

1. Put the stock into a medium-sized saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Combine the pork with half the light soy sauce, half the rice wine or sherry, the sesame oil and the cornflour.

2. Heat a wok until it is hot, then add the groundnut or vegetable oil. When the oil is hot and slightly smoking, add the pork and stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Add the Chinese leaves, the remaining rice wine or sherry and light soy sauce and the dark soy sauce to the simmering stock and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the pork to the stock and simmer for a further minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Transfer to individual soup bowls or a large soup tureen. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve at once.

qingquang

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