Tilapia, Daikon and Pepper Soup
Watermelon and Dungeness Crab Soup
Thai Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup
Pork, Dried Scallop and Pidan Congee
STEAMING BOWLS of aromatic soup are not only delicious and nourishing, but many Asian versions also have medicinal properties. They can be cloudy or clear, hot or warm, light or hearty. Long-boiled Chinese herbal soups made with specific quantities of meats, roots, vegetables, herbs and dried fruits can prepare the body for seasonal and climatic adjustments, prevent disease, fight allergies, cleanse and rebalance the inner body. Some broths warm and strengthen the body during the cold seasons, whereas others cool and soothe in the hot, humid months. Try the wholesome Tilapia, Daikon and Pepper Soup, the warming Spiced Kimchi Casserole Soup or the comforting Vietnamese Beef Pho’. Except in India, soups are usually thickened by adding a paste of water and starch rather than cream or milk.
Serve these soups Asian-style by presenting them in a large pot in the middle of the table so that guests can serve themselves. Or ladle them into individual bowls to accompany steamed rice. Thick or thin, soups are eaten with a spoon in India, Thailand, Korea and China, but it’s common in Japan to bring the bowl to your mouth and drink from it. Consider this permission to slurp any of these broths or noodle soups at home!