KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 – Some days we feel as though we are far out at sea, adrift without a map nor compass. We are lost, and not of our own doing either.
Times like these (and indeed, every occasion one can imagine), the right food can make a startling difference, to heal our wounds and our woes, to help us correct our course.
Times like these I like nothing better than to return to my roots, my foundation and my strength. The source of who I am, the spring from which everything flows.
I think about my mother’s kitchen back in my hometown, of the dishes she would cook, be it rain or shine. How every bowl and plate is suffused with love and warmth. These are the foods of my childhood; we recognise only as adults why they are called comfort foods.
For they comfort us in ways we do not understand but are always grateful for.
This weekend, the food that comforts me is a bowl of white radish and carrot soup. Simple enough yet so satisfying. These root vegetables (pardon the pun earlier, if you spotted it; you must have, surely?) sustain and nourish us, mind, body and soul.
White radish and carrots can be confusing, at least where their names are concerned. In Cantonese, both are called lor bak: white radish as bak lor bak and carrots as hong lor bak. White and red.(Though carrots have a more orange hue, no?)
What isn’t confusing is how they taste and how they flavour a soup. White radish (also known as báiluóbo in Mandarin) ensures a milder tasting soup, whilst carrots add a natural sweetness.
Not to mention a brilliant pop of colour: the pale whites and the vibrant orange-reds remind us that if life is a checker board, a game to be played, then let us at least enjoy the sport and have some fun. Cheer up!
This soup tastes of all our yesterdays and all the good to come in our tomorrows. That last bit is a tip to make a huge pot of this soup to portion out and freeze for future meals.
That way, come rain or come shine, we will always have something in our kitchen to look forward to. To comfort us and nourish us. Mind, body and soul.
WHITE RADISH AND CARROT SOUP
The white radish and carrots give the soup a pleasant nature: mild and sweet in equal measure. There is always a danger that these flavours could be too monotonous or one-dimensional, however.
This is where the inclusion of a pair of classic dried ingredients frequently employed in Chinese cooking helps immensely. Adding dried shiitake mushrooms and dried scallops (or conpoy, a name derived from Cantonese – gōnbui) imbues the soup with plenty of umami.
Some preparation is required though: both have to be soaked in water to rehydrate them. The dried shiitake mushrooms benefit from an overnight soak; the dried scallops are an easier affair, needing only 15-20 minutes of rehydration before using.
Aromatics play a part too, each in their own way. Ginger helps remove any strong meaty odours while making the base of the soup with a whole chicken.
Garlic balances the overall flavour so that the soup won’t taste too funky or marine from the dried mushrooms and dried scallops. White peppercorns aren’t as spicy as the black variety but gives every spoonful a little kick.
After all, even if the soup we’re making is meant to be nourishing, who says it can’t be a little thrilling too?
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (kampong or free range chicken), cut into pieces
3 dried scallops, soaked and rehydrated
5-6 medium-sized dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and rehydrated
1 piece of ginger, crushed
4-5 cloves garlic, whole
10-12 white peppercorns, whole
3 litres water
1 large white radish, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
2-3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
Salt to taste
Method
Add the chicken, dried scallops, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic and white peppercorns to a large pot. Fill with 3 litres of water (or at least enough to cover all the ingredients). Bring to a boil.
Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Carefully remove any scum that rises to the surface using a fine-mesh skimmer.
Add the white radish and carrots to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil again. Then reduce the heat and simmer for another 20 minutes or until the white radish and carrots are soft. Season with salt to taste.
Ladle into individual bowls and serve immediately while it is hot. For leftover soup, allow it to cool before dividing them into air-tight containers for later use; these can be frozen and subsequently thawed when needed.
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