This easy pork soup with lily flower has been one of my favorite soups to make since giving birth to little James. Soup is highly treasured during postpartum recovery in China, because it provides good hydration with electrolytes. And it helps the mom consume a lot of protein and fiber, which are both important for increasing milk supply and regaining strength after childbirth. Most of the soups also include vegetables and herbs that have medicinal properties to recover the Qi. For example, the pork and lotus root soup, silkie chicken soup, milky carp soup, and pork papaya soup are usually served daily during the first month of postpartum recovery. Continuing my little series on postpartum recovery recipes, I want to introduce this simple soup. Unlike the other soups I just mentioned, this one will not take hours to simmer. So you can throw it together in a pinch when you’re busy. It might be less rich than a slow-simmered bone broth, but it’s hearty, refreshing, and tastes very good.
Pork soup with lily flower ingredients
Dried lily flower
Dried lily flower, or Huang Hua Cai (黄花菜), are dried unopened flowers of the daylily plant. They have an earthy, woody and smoky aroma. Once rehydrated, they become tender, taste a bit sour, and have a slightly crunchy texture. It’s a key ingredient for making hot and sour soup, and we like to use it in stew, sauce, soup and stir fry to add umami and texture. Dried lily flowers are commonly used in Chinese postpartum recipes because they help with detoxing, facilitate digestion, increase milk supply, and improve sleep.
Water vs chicken broth for soup base
This pork soup uses the soaking water from the lily flower, together with some water, to make a very simple soup base. It also uses ginger, garlic, soy sauce, white pepper and sesame oil to create a refreshing yet flavorful broth. However, if you prefer a richer tasting soup, feel free to use chicken broth to replace the water. You can also add a pinch of chicken bouillon at the end of the cooking to enhance the flavor.
Mise en place
The pork soup uses very simple Chinese pantry ingredients that you might already have at home, if you cook Chinese food often. When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:
Marinated pork White pepper Soaked lily flower and its soaking water Soy sauce Sliced ginger and garlic Sliced green onion and sesame oil (Optional, for garnishing)
How to make pork soup with lily flowers
Making pork soup with lily flowers is simple and fast. Once you’re done prepping, the soup takes less than 10 minutes to put together. The base is refreshing yet comforting, and the tender pork and crunchy lily flowers make for a satisfying taste and nice texture. It’s a great soup to cook in parallel with the rest of your dinner.
How to keep the pork tender and juicy
Marinated, the pork will be more flavorful, and the cornstarch will protect the pork from the heat. Once you add the pork, it will cook very quickly because it is thinly sliced. When the soup is boiling hot, the sliced pork will be cooked through almost instantly. It is very important not to overcook the pork, which will dry it out and make it tough. I always turn down the heat immediately once the pork has been added. And it only takes 1 to 2 minutes for the pork to cook through. You should also note that the pork will continue to cook in the residual heat if you don’t serve the soup immediately, which will make the meat a bit tougher than it should be.
How to serve pork soup with lily flowers
You can serve the pork soup alongside main and side dishes for a full Chinese dinner. I also enjoy serving it with another quick dish, such as fried rice or noodles for a simple meal. For a quick meal, consider serving the soup with:
Egg Fried Rice Soy Sauce Fried Rice Easy Pan Fried Noodles Pan Fried Tofu Tomato and Egg Stir Fry
Other easy and quick soup recipes
Spinach Egg Drop Soup Napa Cabbage Tofu Soup (白菜豆腐汤) Chinese tomato beef soup (番茄肥牛汤) Chinese Corn Soup with Chicken (鸡蛋玉米羹) Winter Melon Soup with Meatballs (冬瓜丸子汤)
