Wood Ear and Red Date Soup

Came across this soup recipe by Christine which looks quite similar to the concoction for lowering blood cholesterol level which I usually prepare for my family Black Fungus with Dates Drink.  This version is slightly different with meat and salt added.  It's a soup and not a drink.  As a drink, I will have to discard the wood ear fungus but as a soup everything can be eaten.  Not too bad an alternative, then.

The wood ear fungus are soft and slurpy, the meat is tender and the red dates are sweet.  Overall the soup is tasty and good.

According to Christine, 'this wood ear and red date soup is suitable for women in the first month after childbirth, served as confinement food. Nevertheless, it’s good for anyone, female or male adults in the family for its nutrients'. Hopefully, this version is also effective in lowering bad cholesterol.

Ingredients

original recipe from Christine's Recipes

[serves 3-4]

10 gm wood ear fungus - soaked to soften
10 gm red dates - deseeded
750 ml water
3-4 slices ginger
salt to taste
80 gm lean pork - sliced
Marinade for meat
1 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp cornflour
dash of pepper and sesame oil

1. Blanch softened wood ear in boiling water for about 3 minutes.  Drain, remove the hard stem, then cut into strips.  Mix pork with marinade, set aside.
2. Bring water to boil in a soup pot [I used claypot].  Add in wood ear, red dates and ginger.  When it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low.  Continue to cook for 20-25 minutes.
3. Add in the pork, stir to combine.  Bring to boil again and season with salt to taste.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Notes: Visit this site for its Nutritional Facts [here]