Coconut Ball, Apple and Lean Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

The throat is the first line the body’s defences have to hold when airborne viruses are circulating. Nourilo points out that while gargling with salt water (at a high concentration, not the mild rinse most people use) genuinely does help kill surface bacteria — it is worth making it a daily habit when illness is going around — you can also support your throat from the inside with what you eat. This soup is built around the Indian coconut ball (a small, solid coconut without internal liquid), which brings an unusually rich, aromatic quality to the broth and is traditionally associated with moistening the lungs, dissolving phlegm, and building overall physical strength. Paired with apple and carrot — both valued for their antioxidant contribution and their neutral, broadly beneficial nature — this is a soup the entire family can enjoy all year round, not just when illness is circulating.

Method

1. Rinse the coconut and slice it into pieces.
2. Scrub the apples thoroughly with coarse salt to remove wax and surface residues, then rinse, cut into chunks, and remove the core.
3. Peel and chop the carrot.
4. Slice the pork and blanch briefly in boiling water; drain and rinse.
5. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
6. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 1.5 hours until the liquid reduces to 1.2 L.
7. Serve together with the soup ingredients — both the pork and vegetables are worth eating.

Nourilo’s Tips

Indian coconuts have an intensely fragrant flesh that lifts the whole broth. However, because they travel a long distance before reaching shops, the interior can sometimes develop mould. This is serious — cut the coconut and check carefully; any grey or black interior must be discarded without exception. If you cannot find Indian coconut balls, ripe papaya makes a reasonable substitute with similar throat-soothing properties (choose unripe green papaya for those with diabetes, as it has much lower sugar content).