Old Cucumber Soup (Lau Huang Gua Tang)

Ingredients

• 300 g of meaty pork bones (chopped into pieces)
• 1 medium size old cucumber (lao huang gua)
• 1 small rice bowlful of cashew nuts

Method

1. Rinse and drain the meat. Add 2 heaped teaspoons of salt to marinate them. I liken this step to massaging the meat.
2. Fill a pot with 2.5 litres of water.
3. Boil some water in another smaller pot or saucepan (enough water to cover the meat).
4. Parboil the meat in the boiling water. This has the effect of cleaning the meat and getting rid of any smell. Once the meat is partially cooked, transfer the meat to the larger pot.
5. While the meat is cooking, wash and clean the old cucumber. Cut away the center part of the cucumber. (See picture)
6. Rinse the cashew nuts and soak them for about 10 minutes.
7. Put the cleaned cucumber pieces and the cashew nuts into the pot with the meat. Bring the water to boil before lowering the fire. Let the soup simmer for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Usually, I would find the soup tasty enough after 2 to 3 hours of simmering. However, add a little salt before serving if you like it more salty.

If like me, you are a working parent, you can prepare the soup in the morning before leaving for work. I would let the soup simmers on the stove while I prepare for work. I turn off the fire before leaving the house.

When I return, I heat the soup and bring it to boil before lowering the fire and let it simmers until while I prepare dinner. It would be just nice when dinner is ready.