Watercress and Monk Fruit Soup

When it comes to making watercress soup, soak watercress in salted water in the last rinse. It helps remove residual pesticides or buds if there’s any. Add the watercress in vigorously boiling water in batches. Then your soup won't be bitter.

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 2 ½ hrs
Yield: 2 to 3 serves

Ingredients:

• 280 gm Chinese watercress
• 520 gm pork bones
• 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ monk fruit (aka luo han guo, 羅漢果)
• 2 ½ L water
• 12 gm (1 Tbsp) sweet almond (南杏)
• 5 gm (1 tsp) bitter almond (北杏)
• 2 candied dates (蜜棗)
• 2 to 3 slices ginger

Method:

1. Rinse the watercress. For the last rinse, add 1 heaped teaspoon of salt into the water and soak the watercress for about 15 minutes. Drain well. Set aside.
2. Put the pork bones in room temperature water. Cook over high-medium heat to remove the blood and impurities, about 5 to 8 minutes. (Note: the soup will be clear by doing this step.) Drain up the pork bones. Rinse under tap water. Drain well again.
3. In a large deep pot, add 2 ½ litres of water, pork bones, watercress and all other ingredients. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 2 to 2 ½ hours, until the flavours are imparted in soup. Season with salt. Serve hot.

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