ABC Soup
蕃茄薯仔洋蔥湯·(faan-ke syu-zai joeng-cung tong)
Lou Fo Tong: Mother's Slow-Simmered Love
The enameled Dutch oven sits on the back burner. The pork ribs soften. The aroma of ABC Soup simmering on the stove fills the kitchen. It is the purest expression of Lou Fo Tong—a slow-simmered, fiercely restorative broth built entirely from standard American supermarket produce. Chunks of russet potato and sweet corn on the cob crowd the pot as the broth bubbles. It asks nothing of you but a little time and a healthy respect for technique, rewarding the cook with the savoriness of slow-cooked pork. Ladle the hot broth into a deep bowl, drop your shoulders, and sit down.
Ingredients
- pork spare ribs1 lb
- cold water8 cup
- Roma or beefsteak tomatoes2 med
- Yukon Gold or white potatoes2 med
- carrots2 large
- yellow onion1 large
- sweet corn on the cob1 med
- fine sea salt1 1/2 tsp
- ground white pepper1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Purge the meat to guarantee a clear broth.
Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil and drop in the pork ribs. Let them boil vigorously for 3 to 5 minutes until a murky, grey foam rises to the surface. Drain the meat in a colander and rinse the pieces thoroughly under cold tap water to wash away any clinging scum, then wash your pot.
- 02
Combine the foundation.
In your clean soup pot, combine the rinsed pork ribs, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onion, and sweet corn. Pour in 8 cups of fresh, cold water, ensuring the ingredients are mostly submerged.
- 03
Simmer low and slow.
Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately turn the heat down to low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Do not let it boil vigorously, or the potatoes will disintegrate and cloud the soup.
- 04
Season and serve.
Turn off the heat. The tomatoes and onions should have melted into the broth, leaving it a pale golden-orange. Stir in the salt and white pepper, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as needed. Ladle the hot soup into deep bowls, ensuring everyone gets a mix of vegetables and a piece of pork.
Notes
The grandmother's secret.
Skipping the fei shui (blanching) step is the difference between a cloudy, muddy soup and a transcendent, clear Lou Fo Tong. Do not brown the meat; purging it of impurities is the absolute rule of Chinese soup-making.
The Instant Pot weeknight hack.
Perform the fei shui as written, then transfer the rinsed meat and chopped vegetables to an Instant Pot. Add only 6 cups of water. Cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes, naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick-release the rest.
Protein substitutions.
If your local supermarket butcher cannot cross-cut pork spare ribs, bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks with the skin removed make an equally authentic and accessible substitute.