Wednesday 6 February 2013

Hot and Sour Roasted Knuckle Soup


The first time I had this soup was when I was a teenager. My auntie cooked it and gave some to my family. My first impression of the soup was that it was very salty and sour. I liked the taste and it was not until many years later that I had a chance to taste this soup again. It was my auntie again who cooked it for me when I requested for the soup. My auntie got her roasted pork from the market and since I do not do my marketing at the wet market, I had to source my roasted pork from somewhere else.



Before 1-Utama underwent a major renovation in 2011, I used to buy the German Pork Knuckle from the Eurodeli outlet to cook this soup. Sounds strange, right? The idea came about when I bought the German Pork Knuckle and found that it was hard and dry. I was quiet disappointed and instead of letting it go to waste, I figured out that I could use it in the hot and sour soup. It worked beautifully and since then, every time I had a craving for this hot and sour soup, I will go and get the pork knuckle.



These days, I get pork from the Pearl Pork outlet at Aeon which I first mentioned in this post. One day while browsing at the outlet, I noticed that they have frozen roasted knuckle. And I was very pleased as I can't get my usual German Pork Knuckle anymore. 


This soup tastes better after one or two days as it takes time for the flavors to fully develop. It is one of my favorite soups as it makes for a complete meal by itself. You have your proteins and veges and it is oh so tasty! And I think this soup would be suitable to serve during Chinese New Year, perhaps as an appetizer as the sourish taste does stimulate the appetite.










Hot and Sour Roasted Knuckle Soup
Recipe source : Phong Hong

Ingredients :
- 1 piece roasted pork, about 750g (I used frozen)
- 600g pickled mustard greens/kiam chye (2 packets), soaked for 30 minutes, rinse and cut into smaller pieces
- 3 large ripe tomatoes, quartered
- 2 carrots, cut into cubes
- 2 pieces asam gelugur (garcinia)
- 6 dried chillies (as many or as few as you like)
- 1.2 liters water
- Chicken stock (I used 2 cubes)

Method :
1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil
2. Add roasted pork, pickled mustard greens, tomatoes, carrots, asam gelugur and dried chillies.
3. Bring to  a boil and reduce to a simmer.
4. Simmer for about 2 to 2.5 hours or until the roasted pork is tender.


I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover.

44 comments:

  1. I'm no.1 today, any prize, hehehe! This dish huh(similar dish), my old neighbours used to cook it after a wedding or big chinese festival when they had lots of left over roasted pork(siew yoke), roasted ducks & chicken. And the neighbours(the good cooks) would then give away some to every other families. I normally used the smoke pork knuckle to cook chowder like lentil and smoke knuckle soup, yum yum! Your dish is making me salivating!

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    1. Jessie, you so fast leh! As I understand it, this soup is normally cooked with leftovers. But because I was not happy with the hard German pork knuckle, I cooked it this way and loved it. I must try cooking with lentils too for a different type of soup.

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  2. Hi Phong Hong, this dish, my family favourite which I will be cooking during CNY. I believe many people loves this traditional dish.

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    1. Kimmy, I also see it being sold at chap fan stalls. But not so convenient to tapau and eat in the office. So I enjoy it at home :)

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  3. Hi Phong Hong! My mom used to cook this dish on the 1st day of CNY but not anymore since she's a grandma! LOL Yours look so yummy & it's been ages that I did not eat this! I love the sour taste of this dish! YUM! ;)

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    1. Kit, I really love the salty, sour and smoked flavours of this soup especially if it had been kept for 2-3 days. I can have just a bowl of the soup as my main meal.

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  4. My mom will make this dish either on the 2nd or 3rd day of CNY with all the leftovers roast meat. I still do that once I accumulate enough roast meat in my freezer. We call it chye boey

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    1. Gertrude, it's a good idea to recycle the leftover roasts to make this soup. I will consider that if I have leftovers and see how is the taste.

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  5. oooo...meleleh air liur!!! Have you tried with fresh mustard? I sometimes use bacon hock... and fresh mustard ...not quite sure why never thought of kiam chye :)

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    1. Actually I forgot about using fresh mustard. Somehow whenever I cook this soup, which is not that often, I forget. Next round I will add fresh mustard too :)

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  6. Hi Phong Hong your dish makes me feel hungry although I had my meal 3 hours ago .I make satay .This dish goes well with hot sambal belachan pound with extra few chilli padi Oomp.your Aunty is very happy to know that your like this dish of her's.And now at long last you have finally cook the dish .She is very proud of you.The next time you cook try adding some fresh mustard .OO lah-lah only wish I was there to eat your soup.Never think of it I will cook this dish for CNY and Emily requested for Kerabu

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    1. EE, thank you for teaching me how to cook this soup! I forgot about the fresh mustard. And yes, this one is explosive with sambal belacan, yum, yum!

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  7. Wah, PH, yu buy german pork knuckle for this dish??.!!, its suposed to be a poor man's dish where all leftovers are thrown together and lotsof sour stuffs to mask any funny flavours,,,your version is such a treat! I love love love this dish, my mum makes a killer pot on the 2nd day, using all the leftovers. I could just eat this for days on end and not get bored.

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    1. I am rather extravagant, aren't I, Esther? You see, leftovers are a very rare thing in my house. We are all voracious eaters (think piranhas and bottomless pits) and there's no chance to cook this soup hah! hah! Since using that hard and dry pork knuckle, I will buy it whenever I crave for this soup.

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  8. Hi Phong Hong,
    My keyboard is wet! I'm simply drooling.... big drools! I totally love this dish, could eat a big bowl (and seconds) without any other dish! There are so many versions of this dish, I sapu all versions! Haha! Either Kam chye or fresh mustard, both are delicious! Have been thinking of this since this morning when I saw the fresh mustard at the wet market! Planning to cook this after I'm back from CNY! I usually use roasted pork bones, bought from the stall that sells "siu yok" at the morning market. Must look for the frozen roasted pork knuckle from JJ, I never knew they have that!
    Yum, yum, I wish this is my dinner tonight!!

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    1. Joyce, you must really love this soup! Sometimes I have this soup just by itself as my main meal. I can't get enough of it and as my auntie said it is even better with sambal belacan. I'm thinking of cooking another batch soon and this time I will try with fresh mustard. Yes, do cook some when you get the roasted pork knuckle :)

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  9. It's so interesting to use roasted knuckles for a soup dish. Gosh, I'm already salivating. Lol!

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    1. Shirley, the roasted knuckle really give a fantastic smoked aroma to the soup. Don't salivate, cook a pot!

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  10. Hello Phong Hong
    This is my favorite dish....my mouth watering now...."beh tahan liao"...got to go get a tissue else I wet my blouse....

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    1. Mel, you are so funny! After you wipe your drool, go and buy roasted pork and cook this soup :)

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  11. I love the soups and kiam chye , goes well with white rice!

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  12. oh my dear phong hong, i must order this dish whenever i see them selling at the rice stall. Must not miss! Usually when i cook this, i will cook a big pot and then distribute to my nearby relatives. This is a killer dish!!

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    1. Lena, I also cook a big pot with lots of kiam chye. And I like it more sour, very appetizing. Now I feel like I want to eat some more hee..hee...

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  13. Hi PH! I've not heard or tasted this before... but I can imagine the taste based on the ingredients you used. Does it taste like Kiam Chye Aar (Preserved Mustard with Duck Soup)?..

    Will try this out... maybe after CNY!

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    1. Alvin, have you heard of "chye boey"? Usually this soup is cooked using leftovers. It is quite similar to Kiam Chye Ark but has a smoky aroma that comes from the roasted pork. Do try this soup, I love it a lot!

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  14. Yum... this is my kind of comfort food. I love soup that taste better after a day or two cos I usually make a big pot whenever I cook soup. :P This looks so delicious.

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    1. Amy, this soup is one of my top favourite soups. I cook a big pot to last me 4 or 5 days. I don't get tired of it.

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  15. Drool! Drool! Really makes me salivate... Never tried cooking anything like this before. Certainly hope to try...but probably after Chinese New Year. Would be too bloated to appreciate much of anything around the time.

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    1. Arthur, I especially love the roasted pork skin after it becomes soft in the soup. I know it is unhealthy but hey, I cook this once in a blue moon. But am thinking of cooking another big pot soon :)

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  16. Hi Phong Hong, this soup sounds so appetizing! I think it's very smart of you to use roasted pork knuckle cos the flavours would be so much nicer. Love this!

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    1. Thanks, the roasted knuckle did impart a very smoky aroma that made this soup so appetizing!

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  17. Oh wow your soup looks so delicious. Love the taste of the salted vegetables. Wishing you a Happy New Year!

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    1. Gong Xi Fa Cai, Mich! I am going to have second round of the soup hee..hee...

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  18. Oh wow@ I love this soup too and so do my boys! I always cook this when I have a lot of leftover roast pork or chicken....yum! Wishing you and family Gong Xi Fa Cai!:D

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    1. Jeannie, my house no chance to have leftover roast pork or chicken, all sapu habis!! Wish you and family Gong Xi Fa Cai too!

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  19. See! how popular your soup dish is and with all the comments .I tok boleh tahan any more.This morning when I went to the Chinese supermarket to do shopping I saw a big huge fresh mustard only less then $2/ I quickly buy to cook for CNY dinner .I am now dying to eat must tumbok Hot Hot belachan.you make me lau nyior titek titek

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    1. Yah, EE I am so happy got good response. I thought this was just an ordinary soup and nobody would bother :)

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  20. Even i just had taken breakfast (took kuoy teow soup at the pasar), but look at your bowl of hot and sour pork knuckels soup, i am salivating!! my all time favourite, i can just eat this dish with a lot of rice..Have to safe some roast meat and cook this during CNY, Hokkein we call this as Chai Ber (leftover dish)..I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy CNY and Gong Xi Fa Cai..So you balik kampung tak?

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    1. Aiyo, myself so long never eat kueh teow soup! My house can never have leftover roast meat. Everbody so kuat makan. Haiya tak ada chance! I also wish you and family Gong Xi Fa Cai!

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  21. Wow, what a beautiful dish!

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  22. Hi Phong Hong,
    I am drooling over your roasted pork knuckle soup.
    My sil use to cook this with pork trotter, the fat part will just melt in the mouth:p But I dare not eat too much. Have to jaga my waistline....lol
    I must save some roasted pork to cook this! Now can I have some with extra bowl if rice? :D
    mui

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    1. mui mui, of course you can have an extra bowl of rice! I love the skin and fats part, oh la la!

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