Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Shanghai Salted Pork and Bamboo Shoot Soup
醃篤鮮
Recipe overview
Salted pork, fresh ribs and cooked bamboo shoots make a mellow broth. This version uses precooked shoots and adds tofu-skin knots late.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 400 g Pork ribs
- 150 g Salted pork
- 300 g Precooked bamboo shoots
- 100 g Fresh tofu-skin knots
- 20 g Ginger
- 20 g Spring onions
Soup seasoning
- 1800 ml Water
- 15 ml Shaoxing wine
- 0.5 g White pepper
02
Tools
- Lidded soup pot
- Small pot and sieve
- Knife and board
- Ladle and food thermometer
03
Steps
Step 1
Soak salted pork
Cut salted pork into 2 cm slices, soak in cold water for 15 minutes and drain; discard soaking water.
Step 2
Prepare ribs
Cut ribs into 4 cm pieces and remove loose bone fragments. Keep the raw-meat board separate from cooked-food utensils.
Step 3
Cut shoots and aromatics
Rinse and drain cooked bamboo shoots, then cut thick slices. Slice ginger and tie spring onions into a knot.
Step 4
Rinse tofu knots
Gently rinse and drain fresh tofu-skin knots. Dried knots require separate soaking according to their package.
Step 5
Blanch the pork
Cover ribs and salted pork with cold water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, simmer 3 minutes and skim foam.
Step 6
Drain and refresh
Drain the meat in a sieve and rinse away foam with warm water. Discard blanching water and clean the soup pot.
Step 7
Start the broth
Put pork, ginger, onion knot, wine and 1800 ml water in the soup pot and bring to a gentle boil.
Step 8
Simmer the pork
Simmer gently for 55 minutes with the lid ajar, keeping small bubbles and skimming occasionally.
Step 9
Add bamboo shoots
Add cooked shoots and simmer 20 minutes more. If the liquid becomes too low, add a little hot water.
Step 10
Cook tofu knots
Add tofu-skin knots and simmer 10 minutes to absorb broth, stirring gently to preserve their shape.
Step 11
Check tenderness
A fork should enter rib meat easily and the thickest meat should reach at least 75°C. Simmer longer if still tough.
Step 12
Finish the soup
Remove the onion knot and add white pepper. Taste before considering any additional seasoning; warn diners about bones.
Common mistakes
- Adding salt before soaking the cured pork makes an overly salty pot.
- Raw bamboo shoots cannot be substituted as if already cooked.
- A rolling boil tightens meat and breaks tofu knots.
- Elapsed time alone does not guarantee tender ribs.
Tips
Choose precooked bamboo shoots for this schedule; raw shoots need separate safe preparation. Even a modest amount of salted pork seasons the broth, so taste after the tofu knots have absorbed it. Rib size affects tenderness; extend simmering until the meat is easy to bite.
