THE KITCHEN : TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE BROTH BY HOMEWORK STORE
towards the end of last year I collaborated with Stephanie, the co-founder of homework store, for a festive giveaway.
homework store describes itself as ‘A modern ode to ancient Chinese philosophy. creating sensory stories through fragrances that celebrate heritage, balance and nature.’ drawing from her parents background in traditional chinese medicine, the home fragrances created by homework store draw from the grounding and tangible elements of nature. each scent focuses on one of the five chinese elements; earth, fire, metal, water, wood.
i was thrilled when stephanie offered to share her family’s TCM bone broth recipe as a fellow broth lover myself - particularly at this time of year!
This Chinese herbal soup is a favourite of mine. Growing up, it was a weekly staple in our household and I’ve continued on with the tradition in my home. Brewing this soup has become a weekly ritual for me, thanks to its simplicity and the health benefits it offers.
Known as Qing Bu Liang (清补凉), which literally translates to "clear cooling and energy filling," this soup is incredibly nourishing, especially in the cold winter months. I'm fortunate to receive the dried ingredients (连子 Lotus seed, 百合 Lily bulb, 山药 Chinese Yam, 玉竹 Polygonatum Odoratum, 芡实 Prickly water lily, 杞子 Goji berries, 意米 Chinese pearl barley, 生地 Rehmanniae root - not steamed, 熟地 Rehmanniae root -steamed ) directly from my mum and her herbal clinic, but you can easily find pre-packaged versions in your local Chinese supermarket. We use pork bones rather than chicken or any other red meat as pork is considered a yin food in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
INGREDIENTS
450g of pork ribs
1 1/2 litres Water
6 slices Ginger
1/4 tsp White pepper
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
1 bag of Chinese herbs
Salt to taste
-
Clean the pork ribs by placing in a large pot and pour boiling water over the top, Give it a mix and then pour away the excess water.
Once the pork is cleaned, place all the ingredients in the pot and Fill with cold water Bringing the pot to the boil. as it boils remove the grey impurities of the pork, This is to create a clear broth.
Once boiled, lower the heat and allow everything to simmer for no more than 2 hours. Once cooked, serve and always enjoy hot/warm.
To turn this into a complete meal, I love to pick the pork ribs out and pair them with pak choi and steamed brown rice with a splash of soya sauce. I then enjoy the remaining broth throughout the week.
