Fresh Yam, Goji and Abalone Soup

Fresh abalone — particularly the small nine-hole variety — is traditionally regarded as one of the finest ingredients for nourishing liver yin and supporting eye health. Its traditional association with eye health is so strong that it is sometimes called "the eye-brightening fish" in Chinese food culture.

Yes. If the shells are scrubbed thoroughly, they can be added to the pot together with the other ingredients. In traditional Chinese medicine the cleaned abalone shell, called shi jue ming, is traditionally used to help calm liver yang, ease dizziness, and support blood pressure regulation.

The recipe yields approximately 1.2 litres of soup. It requires about 25 minutes of preparation and 90 minutes of simmering, for a total time of around 1 hour 55 minutes.

According to the recipe, this soup is gentle enough for the whole family and is also described as suitable for people recovering from surgery, as part of a balanced diet.

The recipe suggests that a small piece of dried scallop (yao zhu) gives a similar depth of flavour when Jinhua ham is unavailable. The soup can also be slow-simmered in a clay pot or slow cooker for 2 to 3 hours as an alternative cooking method.