Classic Green Radish, Carrot, and Pork "Lai Tong"
青紅蘿蔔豬骨湯·(cing-hung-lo-baak-zyu-gwat-tong)
Lou Fo Tong: Mother's Slow-Simmered Love
A heavy Dutch oven sits on the back burner, loaded with chunks of green radish, packed with pork neck bones, and submerged in cold water. Soon, the kitchen windows fog from a deep, earthy steam rolling off a bubbling pot of Lou Fo Tong. Crack the joints with a cleaver before boiling to ensure the jade-green radish provides a cooling relief, while slow-simmered pork bones release a lip-smacking, collagen-rich broth. Skim the fat, ladle the clear liquid into deep bowls, and drink it scalding.
Before you start
Soak the dried tangerine peel and scrape away the bitter pith.
Submerge the dried tangerine peel in warm water for 20 minutes until pliable, then use a paring knife to gently scrape away the white pith to prevent it from turning the broth bitter.
Purify the pork bones through a rigorous blanching ritual called Fei Sui.
Place the raw bones in a pot, cover entirely with cold tap water, and bring to a rolling boil for 5 to 7 minutes to draw out blood and impurities. Drain and aggressively scrub each bone clean under cold running water to guarantee a crystal-clear soup.
Ingredients
- pork neck bones or pork shank1 1/2 lb
- filtered water10 cup
- green radish1 large
- carrots2 large
- sweet corn1 large
- dried honey dates2 large
- South and North apricot kernels2 tbsp
- dried tangerine peel1 small
- fresh ginger2 small
- fine sea salt1 1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Load the pressure cooker with the purified bones, vegetables, and heritage aromatics.
Place the clean pork bones, green radish, carrots, sweet corn, honey dates, apricot kernels, ginger, and tangerine peel into the inner pot of an electric pressure cooker. Pour in the filtered water, ensuring it does not exceed the maximum fill line.
- 02
Pressure cook the soup to rapidly extract the collagen and meld the flavors.
Lock the lid, seal the valve, and cook on Manual/High Pressure for exactly 60 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 20 minutes before carefully opening the valve; this perfectly mimics a three-hour traditional stovetop simmer.
- 03
Skim the excess fat and carefully season the broth off the heat.
Use a ladle or fat-skimmer spoon to skim the oil from the surface, then turn off the heat completely before stirring in the sea salt. Salting only at the very end ensures the meat remains tender and its juices fully integrate into the broth.
Notes
Preserve the flavor of the green radish by peeling it lightly.
The vibrant jade-green layer just underneath the tough outer skin houses the most flavor and color, so do not aggressively peel the vegetable.
Those little white nuts are apricot kernels, not almonds.
Usually sold pre-mixed as Nan Bei Xing in Asian markets, this crucial ingredient provides a distinct, nostalgic aroma vital to authentic Cantonese soup.