Ginkgo, Peppercorn and Euryale Pork Stomach Soup

Why people make this soup

In summer, many people cool down with cold drinks and chilled foods. An occasional treat is fine, but regularly consuming very cold or raw foods can, according to traditional Chinese medicine, weaken what is known as “stomach cold” — showing up as a constant feeling of coolness in the abdomen, a bland taste in the mouth, a tendency to feel slightly nauseous, and perhaps excessive clear saliva. This pattern can extend to the kidneys, contributing to frequent nighttime urination, loose stools before dawn, and, in women, excessive vaginal discharge. This classic soup uses pork stomach together with peppercorns, ginkgo, and euryale to warm the middle, support the stomach, and nourish kidney function.

Method

1. Place the peppercorns in a tea-filter bag and set aside.
2. Cleaning the pork stomach (this step is important): rub the inside and outside vigorously with potato starch (corn starch) and coarse salt to remove mucus and odour. Turn it inside out and repeat. Trim off any visible fat. Rinse thoroughly with cold water, then blanch in boiling water. Remove, rinse, and cut into large pieces.
3. Blanch the pork ribs in boiling water, remove and rinse.
4. Soak and rinse the euryale seeds and tangerine peel. Rinse and soak the tangerine peel until soft.
5. Combine all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 2 hours.
6. Serve the soup together with the solid ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

• This soup is warming and nourishing — particularly good for those with weak digestion or kidney deficiency.
• Taking care to clean the pork stomach well is the most important step for a pleasant-tasting result. After scrubbing and blanching, you can also stir-fry the stomach briefly in a dry pan with a few ginger slices — this helps remove any remaining odour and makes the finished soup more flavourful.
• If pork stomach is not available or unappealing, pork shank (zhu zhan) or pork ribs alone can substitute — the warming action is slightly reduced but the soup remains nourishing.