Night Queen Cactus, Carrot and Fig Pork Shin Soup

Why people make this soup

Fresh night queen cactus flowers (bawang hua) are prized for making a subtly fragrant, cooling and genuinely refreshing broth. This recipe is especially popular with people who have been eating a lot of fried or deep-fried food and find that their digestion has slowed to a crawl. Dried night queen flowers are more commonly used in everyday cooking because they have a richer aroma and a slightly less cold nature, but fresh flowers have their own seasonal appeal and are worth seeking out when you can find them. Both forms are traditionally associated with moistening the lungs, clearing heat, and gently lubricating the intestines.

Method

1. Rinse the fresh night queen cactus flowers well and slice them in half lengthwise.
2. Peel the carrots and cut into large chunks.
3. Rinse the dried figs and halve them.
4. Cut the pork shin into thick slices. Blanch in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes, drain, and rinse off any foam.
5. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4–2.7 L of water. Bring to a full boil over high heat, then reduce to a medium-low simmer.
6. Cook for about 2 hours until the soup reduces to roughly 1.2 L. Serve the broth and the solid ingredients together.

Nourilo’s Tips

This is a light, clean-tasting soup that suits the whole family, young and old. If you have a dry lung cough with heat signs, add a small handful of southern and northern almonds (nan bei xing) for extra soothing effect. Avoid this soup if you are pregnant or prone to loose stools. Fresh night queen cactus flowers are available at Chinese or Asian grocers and herbal suppliers.