Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup

Recipe by Chef Lisa Leong

Ingredients:

1kg mutton (shank or ribs)

1 tbsp fermented red yeast

2 tbsp rice wine

1 bowl hot ginger water

15g dried black fungus (soaked)

16 pcs red dates (with seed)

4 slices ginger

1.5 litres hot bone/chicken stock 

10g American Ginseng Beard (to add later)

10 pcs Tau Pok (whole)

2 tbsp wolfberry (to add later)

½ tsp salt (to taste)

1 tbsp rock sugar (to taste)

Water as required

For Herbal Bag:

20g Liquorice (Gan Cao) 

3 pcs Chinese Angelica Root (Dang Gui)

10g Codonopsis Root (Dang Shen)

12g Solomon's Seal (Yù Zhú)

1 tbsp roasted peppercorn (crushed) 

2 pcs star anise 

20g Radix Astragali (Bei Kei)

For Garnishing: 

Some fried beancurd skin (Optional) 

Julienned ginger strips 

Fresh coriander

Cooking Instructions:

1.     Trim the membranes and fats from the lamb shank or ribs and chop into chunky pieces. Rub the chopped shank or ribs with the fermented red yeast and rice wine.  Blanch in the boiling ginger water and rinse thoroughly. 

2.     Heat the wok, add the blanched shank or ribs and stir fry till dry. Set aside. 

3.     Place all of the herbs listed above into the herbal soup bag.

4.     In the stockpot and place the stir-fried lamb shank or ribs, herbal soup bag, red dates, ginger slices, soup broth and enough water to cover 2 inches over the lamb shank or ribs. 

5.     Cook and simmer for about 45 minutes. Add in the ginseng beard and black fungus. Bring to a boil and simmer in low heat for another 30 minutes. 

6.     Add in the tau pok and wolfberry. Simmer for further 20-25 minutes more or until the ribs are tender. Top up with more water if necessary.

7.     Remove and discard the herbal soup bags. Add in salt and rock sugar to taste. Transfer to the serving bowls.

8.     Garnish the soup with fried beancurd skins (optional), ginger strips and fresh coriander