Tomato & Potato Soup 蕃茄薯仔清湯

Now and again, i will make soup to act as a way to clean out my system.  My mum always chase me from a child that i must have more soup - my mum excuse is if i drink it, i will get more beautiful skin and be more intelligient... these days, mum chase me to have soup, so it ease my stress, and look after my health - so i never refuse any soup that would make me feel good hehe.
You will find Southern Chinese families, would spend alot of time in preparing and making a pot full of either herbs or fresh/dried ingredients, fruit or vegs... just so the whole family can enjoy, and believe it can balance/detox and heal your body whatever season your in. Winter time you will see more rooty veg to keep body warm, then summer you will see more melon-type soups too cool the body. There is always a soup for something...  i.e if i feel my throat is bit dry - my mum will make soup with dried sweet honeydates...or my eyes feel abit tired from staring at computer screen - so she would put some goji berries in the compote -all just so its a step to prevent me from getting ill - so i must thank my dear mummy for always being attentive, and whenever i see her - theres always a bowl of soup for me ;)
Soup is not like western food where its a course itself, soup in southern chinese families is more of a side, you drink it to get ready before you start the main meal, and have another one at the end to cleanse away all the oils or flavoursome dishes. 
For me i'm quite lazy compare to my mum and grandma - so my mum taught me to use the most simplest recipe with vegetables, like tomato and potato, simmer for a hr or so - no fuss, but perk me up and also keep her happy that i'm looking after myself.

Today, i made Tomato and Potato soup, because i felt abit bloated from the crisps, chocolates... and want to increase or open my appetite - so tomato got a nice soary taste, and potato warm, hearty and satisfying -both also have great anti-oxident  and minerals to make you feel good -  plus its a spur of moment and its what i have in the fridge haha. Anyway, after it... i feel miles better!

Ingredients:

3 Tomatoes, destorked and quartered
6 Medium-sized Potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 Chicken Breast, cubed
1 Pork Loin (or 4 spare ribs)
2 Spring Onion
2.5cm Root Ginger (take half and de-skinned and thin sliced, the other half, just crush it)
Salt for seasoning to taste

Method:

1) In a cooking pot, place the potato and tomatoes, spring onion & ginger inside, and fill to the top of the pot with cold water. Turn on the heat to high and let it boil

Step 1: Put in vegetables into cold water and let it boil

2) In a separate pan, pour in hot water from kettle, and put in the crushed ginger - then use a chopstick and carefully, put the meat in the hot water and let it par-boil for approx 5mins. This process is essential, because it can get rid of the smell, lose bone, blood, excess fat.... which at the end will improve the texture and flavour of the soup.

Step 2 - Par-boil the meat - to get rid of the excess fat, blood, and smell.

3) Once the meat are all par-boiled, use a chopstick and combine it piece by piece with vegetables.

Step 3: Combine meat & veg together

4) Cover the lid and let it boil on high heat, until the lid rattles and about to spill. Then turn the heat down to medium-low and leave it to simmer at least 1hr (the longer the more flavoursome it would be). But do keep an eye on it, and give it a occasionally stir - so ingredients don't stick to the pot.

Step 4 - Cover with lid and let it simmer for 1hr

5) After 1hr,  turn the heat up to high, season with a little salt to your taste. Ready to serve.

After the wait - can finally have good bowl of healthy soup.

This soup is good for all ages, and the ingredients are the most basic which you can easily get to from a supermarket. 

Happy Cooking!