Sweet corn pork rib soup

Method7 steps · about 2 hr 35 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Rinse all 5–6 dried shiitake mushrooms. Cover with hot water reaching about 1 inch above them and soak for 15 minutes, continuing until fully softened. Retain the soaking liquid with the mushrooms for the soup.

   Check softened mushrooms · 15 minUses All 5–6 dried shiitake mushrooms · Mushroom-rinsing water, discarded · Hot water covering the mushrooms by about 1 inch, retained

2. 2

   Step 2: Wash the corn, large carrot (1), yellow onion (1) and six red dates. Peel the carrot and onion and cut into small chunks; cut each corn cob into 3 or 4 pieces. Keep the dates separate for the final cooking stage. Once all ingredients are prepared, bring all 3.5 litres soup water to a boil in a large pot and keep it hot while blanching the ribs separately.

   Uses 2 Sweet Corn · 1 large carrot · 1 yellow onion · 6 red dates · Water for washing corn, carrot, onion and dates, discarded · 3.5 litres water for soup

3. 3

   Step 3: Do not wash the raw pork. Bring enough separate blanching water to a boil, add all 1 kg ribs and blanch until surface scum rises. Lift and drain the ribs, discard the blanching water and transfer the hot ribs promptly into the boiling soup in the next step.

   Uses 1 Kg Pork Spare Ribs · Separate boiling blanching water, enough to cover the ribs, discarded

4. 4

   Step 4: Add the hot blanched ribs, softened mushrooms and their soaking liquid to the already boiling main soup water. Return to a steady boil, then cook for 30 minutes, regulating the heat to avoid overflowing.

   Add corn, carrot and onion · 30 minUses All actual 3.5 litres main soup water, excluding held vegetables and dates · All drained ribs, excluding discarded blanching water · All mushrooms and their actual retained soaking liquid

5. 5

   Step 5: Add all the cut corn, carrot and onion. Cook at a steady gentle boil over medium heat for another 1½ hours. Cover with the lid slightly ajar so the soup does not overflow, and watch the liquid level.

   Add dates and wolfberries · 90 minUses All pot contents · All cut vegetables, excluding the separately held dates and wash water

6. 6

   Step 6: Rinse the wolfberries (1 TBsp) just before adding; do not soak them. Add all six red dates and all 1 tbsp wolfberries and boil gently for another 15 minutes. The ribs should be thoroughly cooked and tender and the vegetables soft; continue if needed to reach those endpoints.

   Season and serve the soup · 15 minUses All pot contents · All six held dates, separate from already added vegetables · 1 TBsp wolfberries · Water for rinsing wolfberries just before adding, discarded

7. 7

   Step 7: Taste the finished soup and add salt (to taste) as needed. Share the soup, ribs, mushrooms and vegetables between six portions and serve hot, with ready-cooked plain rice if desired.

   Uses All finished soup and solids · Salt to taste in the finished soup · Optional separately ready-cooked plain rice, amount as needed