Lotus root and pork rib soup is one of the most popular Chinese medicinal soups. I shared this recipe a long time ago, because it’s a dish my mom frequently made in winter when I was growing up. Recently I started to make it again for my postpartum recovery. I love how easy it is to put the ingredients together and just let it simmer. The finished soup is so satisfying and filling that sometimes I enjoy it as a one-pot meal.
Lotus root soup ingredients
Health benefits of lotus root
Lotus root is the long stem of the lotus plant that stretches deep into the mud. It is edible and frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine. The root is rich in carbohydrate and fiber, vitamin C and iron, and is full of antioxidants. It’s good for boosting circulation and immunity, enhancing energy levels, and improving digestion. Lotus root is a “cold” ingredient in TCM, but it’s commonly used in Chinese postpartum confinement to help new moms recovering from childbirth due to its health benefits.
Pork ribs
Pork ribs are paired with lotus root to add a ton of flavor to the soup. If you happen to live close to a Chinese grocery store, you can purchase the short cut pork ribs (肋骨条). These are ribs that are cut crosswise across the slab into 2” (5 cm) long strips. You can further cut them along the bones into smaller pieces, so it takes a shorter time to cook through, and they release more flavor to the soup. If you purchase a slab of pork ribs from a grocery store, you can ask the butcher to cut the slab into two to three strips using their saw. If you can only find the longer ribs, that is totally fine too. You might need to cook the soup a bit longer so the pork turns tender.
Ingredients and mise en place
When you’re ready to cook, you should have:
Sliced lotus root Rehydrated shiitake mushrooms Sliced pork ribs Peanuts Ginger Salt Green onion (optional, for garnish)
The shiitake mushrooms and peanuts are often added to the soup to further add nutritional value. But you can still get a delicious pot of soup if you skip either or both of the ingredients.
How to cook lotus root soup with pork ribs
Cooking lotus root soup is super easy and requires very little hands-on time.
Can I cook lotus root soup in an Instant Pot?
Yes you can! It is very easy and fast to use an Instant Pot to make this recipe. To use an Instant Pot, firstly you need to boil the pork ribs and skim off the brown bits (See the recipe below, step 2). Instead of 10 cups of water for stovetop method, you should only use 6 to 7 cups of water. Once the brown foam is gone, add the rest of the ingredients to the Instant Pot. Set timer to cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Then use natural release, or let release naturally for 20 minutes before fast releasing. A few important things to note:
Make sure you only use 6 to 7 cups water. Because the liquid does not evaporate in the Instant Pot, using the original water amount will result in a very bland soup. Do not skip the step to skim the brown foam. It is very important step to get a clear soup (I was lazy once and skipped the step. The result was not good!). Make sure to keep the lotus root in large bite-size pieces to prevent from over cooking. You might want to skim the fat off the top of the soup once it’s done cooking. Unlike the stovetop method where you can boil the soup to let some of the fat emulsify into the liquid, the Instant Pot method will make a clear soup. As a result, you will have an oil layer floating on top of the soup (fat rendered from the pork ribs).
I love to use an Instant Pot for this recipe, because it’s faster and requires less active cooking time.
How to serve lotus root soup
You can serve lotus root soup with other main and side dishes for a complete meal. Although I also enjoy serving it by itself for a light meal. To enjoy the pork ribs from the soup, you can simply sprinkle some salt onto them as you eat. I also included my favorite dipping sauce below, which only uses four ingredients. Another way to enjoy the pork ribs is – sprinkle some salt over them and coat themwith a thin layer of cornstarch. Then pan fry them with some oil. They will be crispy on the outside and tender inside, similar to fried ribs! I hope you enjoy this delicious soup as much as I do!
Other delicious soup recipes
Napa Cabbage Tofu Soup (白菜豆腐汤) Chinese Corn Soup with Chicken (鸡蛋玉米羹) Winter Melon Soup with Meatballs (冬瓜丸子汤) Bok Choy Soup Watercress Wonton Soup Silkie Chicken Soup (乌鸡汤)
