Pickled Vegetable and Tofu Soup

Ingredients

• 150 g Pickled Mustard Greens (sliced and blanched)
• 1 block Soft Tofu (cut into cubes and blanched)
• 100 g Pork Belly (sliced)
• 3 Ginger (slices)
• 1 tbsp Sesame Oil (for sautéing)
• 800 ml Water (or enough to cover ingredients)
• 1 Tomato (wedged (common addition for this soup type))

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the ingredients by slicing the pickled mustard greens and cutting the tofu into cubes.

2. 2

   Briefly blanch the pickled mustard greens and the tofu in boiling water, then drain and set aside.

3. 3

   Heat the sesame oil in a pot over medium heat.

4. 4

   Add the ginger slices and the blanched pickled mustard greens to the pot. Sauté until fragrant.

5. 5

   Add the pork belly slices and sauté briefly until the meat starts to change color.

6. 6

   Pour in the water (about 800ml) to create the soup base.

7. 7

   Add the blanched tofu cubes and tomato wedges to the pot.

8. 8

   Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

9. 9

   Serve hot as an appetizer or a main soup dish.

Notes

Blanching the pickled mustard greens helps remove excess salt and any harsh bitterness before cooking. The addition of pork and tomatoes are standard enhancements for this regional dish to balance the savory and sour profile.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• Chinese
• pickled mustard greens
• tofu
• easy recipe
• comfort food
• savory