Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney

青紅蘿蔔陳腎豬骨湯

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — finished dish

Total time: 145 min
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Green radish, carrot and pork bones make a naturally sweet broth, while dried duck kidney provides traditional savoury depth.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

500 g green radish
400 g carrot
2 dried duck kidneys
600 g pork bones
2 candied dates
1 small piece dried tangerine peel
2.5 litres water

Soup seasoning

0.5 tsp salt (add to taste at the end, allowing for the kidneys' saltiness)

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — ingredients

02

Tools

5-litre stockpot
large bowl
chef's knife
cutting board
sieve

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — tools

03

Steps

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Soak the kidneys

Step 1

Soak the kidneys

Soak the dried duck kidneys in warm water for 30 minutes, changing the water once.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Trim the kidneys

Step 2

Trim the kidneys

Rinse, halve lengthways and remove any hard connective tissue.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Cut the radishes

Step 3

Cut the radishes

Peel the green radish and carrot and roll-cut into roughly 4 cm chunks.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Blanch the bones

Step 4

Blanch the bones

Cover pork bones with cold water, boil and cook for 3 minutes until scum rises.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Clean the bones

Step 5

Clean the bones

Discard the blanching water and rinse surface scum from the bones with warm water.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Prepare the peel

Step 6

Prepare the peel

Soak tangerine peel in warm water for 10 minutes, scrape off pith, and rinse the dates.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Load the pot

Step 7

Load the pot

Add 2.5 litres water, bones, kidneys, both radishes, dates and peel to the stockpot.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Bring to a boil

Step 8

Bring to a boil

Cover and heat on high until the whole pot reaches a steady boil.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Skim the surface

Step 9

Skim the surface

Uncover and remove surface scum and excess fat.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Simmer slowly

Step 10

Simmer slowly

Turn to low heat, leave the lid slightly ajar and gently simmer for 90 minutes.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Check and season

Step 11

Check and season

Ensure kidney centres and meat by the bones are fully cooked and radishes tender; taste before adding salt.

Cantonese Green and Red Radish Soup with Dried Duck Kidney — Serve

Step 12

Serve

Turn off the heat, rest for 5 minutes, then ladle soup and solids into bowls.

Common mistakes

Failing to soak the kidneys can make the soup too salty.
Cutting the radishes too small makes them disintegrate.
Skipping bone blanching clouds the soup.
Adding all the salt before tasting masks the radishes' sweetness.

Tips

Dried duck kidneys vary in saltiness, so season only after tasting; keep a gentle simmer and add a little boiling water only if needed.