Apple Pork Rib Soup & Braised Sesame & Ginger Chicken

I'm making 2 dishes today as a really good friend of mine, Bryan is coming over for dinner and Soup would not be enough. :P

Are you feeling under the weather lately?  Perhaps having a persistent cough that is not going away.  Well, then you HAVE TO try the Apple Pork Rib soup.  The secret ingredient for this soup is Chinese southern sweet almond  (南杏).  It is said to be soothing for your lungs.

Ingredients for Apple Soup

Apples about 5 (Cut and remove core)
Pork ribs
Pork Marrow bones
Chinese Southern Sweet Almonds
Salt

Ingredients for Braised Sesame & ginger Chicken

1 whole chicken
1 small can of button mushroom
2 carrots
Thumb size of Ginger (sliced)
3 garlic
Dark Soy sauce (You can use oyster sauce instead too if you don't like the black look of this dish)
Sesame Oil
Sugar
Chinese rice wine
Water

How to make Apple Pork Rib Soup

Soak pork ribs/bones in water to remove blood

Cut apples into chunks, remove core

Put everything in a pot, add water and BOIL on low for at least 3 hours till all the flavour is in the soup and the pork bones are so soft the flesh falls off the bones.

How to make Braised Sesame & Ginger chicken

Slice Ginger and chop up garlic, Cut chicken into small pieces with bones on.  Cut carrots into bite size pieces

In a pot, add Sesame oil, heat it.

Throw in Slice ginger and garlic, Stir fry till fragrant.

Add in chicken, stir fry till almost cooked and covered with sesame oil.

Add in Carrots and mushroom.  Simmer for 2 mins

Add in dark soy sauce, enough to coat all the ingredients in the pot.  Not too much as it will be too salty.

Let it simmer for 1/2 hour, Lid on.  Stir it occasionally to ensure all the chicken pieces are covered evenly with dark soy sauce.

Add some water.  Depends on how much gravy you want.  Sprinkle in some sugar.  Close lid and simmer for another 1/2 hour.

Before serving add a dash of chinese rice wine.  Simmer for 5mins.

Serve both dishes with  a  hot bowl of Rice.

Bon Appetit

Monica Eng

Singapore