This Cantonese Pork Soup with Carrots & Chinese Yam is a great example of a classic Cantonese soup, with a clean broth, rich flavor, and abundant health benefits. Trust me when I tell you, the Cantonese are very serious about their soup!
Health Benefits of Cantonese Soups
For Cantonese people, soups are wonderous tonics. There are soups for growing kids, soups for elders to stay strong, soups to curb dryness in the fall and winter, soups to expel dampness, soups to strengthen the lungs––the list goes on!
These different mixtures of protein, fruits, vegetables, herbs, dried seeds, and grains can be simple or complex. It’s becoming a diminishing art. Even I wish I had an expert who could teach me the old ways!
I have noticed that more and more, the health benefits of bone broth are entering the mainstream. This is something Cantonese people have always known!
The Cantonese soups we’ve shared on the blog so far are all for general health and good for the whole family, and this Cantonese Carrot and Chinese Yam soup is another one of my favorites that fits the bill.
What is Chinese Yam?
To me, the star of this soup is the Chinese yam, also known as huai shan (淮山) or shan yao (山药) in Chinese. You may also see it labeled Chinese potato, Japanese mountain yam, wild yam, and yamaimo (Japanese cooks grate it into a pulp to eat it raw!).
The literal translation of shan yao is “mountain medicine.” Indeed, this root vegetable is also used as a medicinal Chinese herb when dried. It’s popular for its potential health benefits for all ages, body types, and health conditions.
Like okra, Chinese yam has a slightly slippery, slimy texture that lessens after cooking.
How Our Family Likes to Eat the Pork
Before you start to collect the ingredients to make this soup, let me briefly touch on the pork. Lean cuts of pork are ideal for Cantonese soups, as less fatty cuts add umami while maintaining a very light soup.
I like to use a lean cut of pork butt with the skin still on, because it’s still good to eat after long simmering times. After the soup is done, I scoop out the meat, shred it, and serve it with the soup to be dipped in light soy sauce. To me, it’s the simplest comfort food delicacy in and of itself!
Cantonese Pork Soup: Recipe Instructions
This soup only requires 7 ingredients, in addition to water and salt: lean pork, ginger, dried dates, dried goji berries, carrots, dried shiitake mushrooms, and Chinese yam.
Rinse the Shiitake mushrooms of any dust or dirt, and pre-soak for at least 2-3 hours in warm water. Do not discard the mushroom soaking water.
Place the pork in a thick-bottomed soup pot filled with enough water to just cover the pork. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat. Drain, rinse the pork under running water, and clean the stock pot. This step ensures a very clean broth.
Transfer the pork back to the clean pot. Add the soaked Shiitake mushrooms, carrots, red dates, goji berries, ginger, and 14 cups of water, along with the mushroom water. Cover and turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for two hours. During this time, the heat should be high enough to gently move the soup, but not so high that there are visible bubbles.
After 2 hours, add the chunks of Chinese yam. Bring to a boil using medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 more hour until Chinese yam is fork-tender. Serve the soup with salt at the table so everyone can add salt to taste.
Don’t forget to shred the pork also, and serve it with some light soy sauce for dipping. You can also break up the pork into chunks and serve them in the individual bowls of soup.
For the best tasting soup, make it the day before, and reheat before serving the next day.
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Recipe
Cantonese Pork Soup with Carrots & Chinese Yam
Ingredients
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms (large)
- 600 grams lean pork shoulder/butt (1 large piece)
- 500 grams large carrots (cut into large chunks)
- 15 grams dried red dates (also known as dried jujubes, pitted and halved)
- 15 grams dried goji berries
- 1 large chunk ginger (smashed)
- 3.3 L water
- 500 grams Chinese yams (peeled and cut into large chunks)
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Rinse the shiitake mushrooms of any dust or dirt, and pre-soak for at least 2-3 hours in warm water. Do not discard the mushroom soaking water.
- Place the pork in a thick-bottomed soup pot filled with enough water to just cover the pork. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat. Drain, rinse the pork under running water, and clean the stock pot. This step ensures a very clean broth.
- Transfer the pork back to the clean pot. Add the soaked Shiitake mushrooms, carrots, red dates, goji berries, ginger, and 14 cups of water, along with the mushroom water. Cover and turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for two hours. During this time, the heat should be high enough to gently move the soup, but not so high that there are visible bubbles.
- After 2 hours, add the chunks of Chinese yam. Bring to a boil using medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 more hour until Chinese yam is fork-tender. Serve the soup with salt at the table so everyone can add salt to taste. Don’t forget to shred the pork also, and serve it with some light soy sauce for dipping.
