Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Cantonese Old Cucumber and Bean Pork Bone Soup
老黃瓜赤小豆扁豆豬骨湯
Recipe overview
Old cucumber is simmered skin, seeds and all with beans and pork bones for a full-bodied yet light Cantonese soup.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 800 g old cucumber
- 700 g pork bones
- 50 g adzuki beans
- 50 g hyacinth beans
- 2 candied dates
- 1 small piece dried tangerine peel
- 2.5 litres water
Soup seasoning
- 1.5 tsp salt (add to taste at the end)
02
Tools
- 5-litre stockpot
- small bowl
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- sieve
03
Steps
Step 1
Rinse the beans
Rinse the adzuki and hyacinth beans in a sieve until the water runs clear.
Step 2
Soak the beans
Soak both beans in room-temperature water for 20 minutes, then drain.
Step 3
Cut the cucumber
Scrub the old cucumber, halve it lengthways, keep the seeds and cut into 4 cm chunks.
Step 4
Blanch the bones
Cover the pork bones with cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes until scum rises.
Step 5
Clean the bones
Discard the blanching water and rinse the scum from the bones with warm water.
Step 6
Soften the peel
Soak the tangerine peel in warm water for 10 minutes, scrape off the pith, and rinse the dates.
Step 7
Load the pot
Add 2.5 litres water, bones, beans, cucumber, dates and peel to the stockpot.
Step 8
Bring to a boil
Cover and heat on high until the whole pot reaches a steady boil.
Step 9
Skim the soup
Uncover and remove surface scum and excess fat for a clearer broth.
Step 10
Simmer slowly
Turn to low heat, leave the lid slightly ajar and gently simmer for 90 minutes.
Step 11
Check and season
Ensure meat by the bones is cooked, beans are tender and cucumber translucent, then stir in salt.
Step 12
Serve
Turn off the heat, rest for 5 minutes and ladle soup and solids into bowls.
Common mistakes
- Peeling and seeding the old cucumber weakens the flavour.
- Skipping the bone blanching makes the broth cloudy and gamey.
- Boiling hard throughout evaporates and clouds the soup.
- Adding salt too early can slow the softening of the beans.
Tips
Choose a firm old cucumber with deep yellow-brown skin; maintain only small bubbles, and top up with a little boiling water only if the level drops markedly.
