Adzuki Bean, Hyacinth Bean, Frog Leg and Winter Melon Soup

Why people make this soup

Nourilo here. A lot of home cooks shy away from frog leg because of old worries about parasites — and it is true that restaurants used to cook frog just to the point of being barely done, which is not the safest way to eat it. But in a soup that simmers an hour and a half or more, that concern fades away. Most frog sold today is farm-raised, and it is rich in protein and minerals. After the heat of midsummer I picked up some frozen frog legs and thought to pair them with adzuki and hyacinth beans in a winter melon soup to ease the summer heat and damp.

Method

1. Soak and rinse the adzuki and hyacinth beans. Blanch the pork ribs and frog legs.
2. Rinse the winter melon, leaving the skin on, and remove the seeds.
3. Put all the ingredients into 2.4 L of water and cook for about an hour and a half, reducing to 1.2 L. Serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is clear and naturally sweet, fine for young and old. It is traditionally regarded as a good fit for teenagers in their growing years and for adults in midlife.