Chicken and Lotus Seed Soup
Ingredients
- 1 c Chicken breast, julienne
- 5 c Chicken stock
- 12 Dried lotus seeds
- 2 Slices fresh ginger root
- 4 Nami black mushrooms
- 2 tbsp Dry sherry
- 1/2 c Celery, julienne
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Smithfield ham, julienne
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 Sprigs Chinese parsley
- 2 tsp Lotus root powder
Direction
- Blanch lotus seeds, remove reddish brown tip.
- Wash and soak mushrooms in warm water until soft, about 30 minutes; remove stems; slice in thin matchsticks.
- Before slicing celery, scrap off stringy back of stalk; slice julienne lengthwise in 1″ sections.
- Slice chicken breast and Smithfield Ham (or other pungent pressed ham) in 1″ strips.
- Soup: Heat stock in 3-quart pan or sandy pot.
- Add ginger, sherry, Sugar and salt.
- Bring to gentle boil, then add lotus seeds, chicken and mushrooms.
- Simmer Soup for 30 minutes.
- Add celery and ham. Simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Mix lotus root powder with a little Hot stock, then stir into Soup.
- Transfer to heated serving bowl, or serve in sandy pot.
- Garnish with Chinese parsley. NOTE: Lotus seeds require about 30 minutes in simmering water to soften.
- Check them before adding ham and celery; simmer longer if necessary.