Tangerine peel, carrot, daikon and kelp soup
Carrot, daikon, kelp and lean pork simmered with a piece of aged tangerine peel — sweet, fragrant and soothing for a tight chest.
- 1 hr 45 min
- Serves 4
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: Qi-stagnant people often feel low and tight across the chest, and the Ching Ming holiday can stir up emotions. Daikon moves qi and clears food stagnation, kelp softens and disperses, tangerine peel soothes the liver and carrot nourishes it — a sweet soup to help you unwind.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 90 min- 1Soak the tangerine peel and scrape off the pith. Rinse the kelp knots and soak for 15 minutes to remove the saltiness.
- 2Peel the daikon and carrot and cut into chunks. Blanch the whole piece of pork for 3 minutes and rinse.
- 3Put everything except the salt into a pot, bring to the boil over high heat, then simmer on low for 1½ hours.
- 4Season with salt. Drink the soup and eat the pork and vegetables dipped in soy sauce with rice.
Cautions
- Kelp is high in iodine; check with your doctor if you have a thyroid condition.
Chef's tips
- One small piece of tangerine peel is enough; more makes the soup bitter.
The TCM view
Daikon is pungent, sweet and cool, sending qi down, aiding digestion and resolving phlegm. Carrot is sweet and neutral, strengthening the spleen and nourishing the liver. Kelp is salty and cold, softening hardness and dispersing nodules. Tangerine peel is pungent, bitter and warm, moving qi and strengthening the spleen. It frees the flow while gently nourishing.
