Seaweed, Tofu and Lean Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

At a Taiwan food fair in a department store, Nourilo — who has a soft spot for Taiwanese products — spotted wild laver seaweed on sale. This wild laver is wonderfully fragrant and marked “grit-free”; he’d bought it before and found it delicious in soups, dishes, and especially in soup noodles. This seaweed and tofu soup is traditionally used to clear heat, promote urination, ease phlegm and support healthy blood pressure — helpful for people watching high blood pressure, cholesterol or blood lipids.

Method

1. Soak the laver seaweed in clean water. Shred the lean pork and cut the tofu into thick strips.
2. Bring 1.2 L of water to the boil, then add all the ingredients (including the seaweed soaking water).
3. Boil about 10 minutes, then stir in the egg white. Serve the soup and the ingredients together.

Nourilo’s Tips

The iodine in laver seaweed dissolves easily into water, so add the soaking water to the soup. This soup is also traditionally said to benefit those with goitre or lymphatic concerns.

(The source comments did not include a general recipe Q&A for this dish, so this section is omitted.)