Dongbei Huang Dou Zhu Zhu Ti Tang (东北黄豆猪蹄汤)

The ultimate slow-cooked one-pot of the Northeast Chinese table, soybean and pig trotter soup is eaten by new mothers for its reputed collagen and lactation-boosting properties, and by everyone else simply because it is deeply delicious. Soybeans absorb the rich, sticky stock from the trotters over hours of gentle simmering, becoming creamy and sweet.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 pig trotters (about 1.2kg / 2.6 lb total), split in half lengthwise by the butcher
• 200g (7 oz) dried yellow soybeans, soaked overnight
• 1.5 litres (6.5 cups) cold water
• 5 slices fresh ginger
• 3 dried chilis
• 2 star anise
• 1 tbsp (15ml) Shaoxing rice wine
• 2 tsp (10g) salt
• 1/2 tsp (2g) white pepper
• 2 spring onions, sliced, to finish

Instructions

1. Blanch trotters in boiling water with a splash of rice wine for 8 minutes. Drain, rinse, and scrub clean.
2. Drain soaked soybeans.
3. Place trotters, soybeans, cold water, ginger, dried chilis, and star anise in a large heavy pot or pressure cooker. Bring to a boil and skim foam diligently for 5 minutes.
4. If using a regular pot: cover and simmer gently 2.5–3 hours until trotters are completely tender and the stock is opaque and silky. If using a pressure cooker: cook on high pressure 45–55 minutes.
5. Remove whole spices and ginger. Season with salt and white pepper.
6. Serve in large bowls with the trotters intact, ladling plenty of creamy soybean broth. Scatter spring onion slices on top.

Cook's Notes: The broth should be milky white and unctuous from the dissolved collagen. For a cleaner flavour, use only ginger and rice wine without the spices. Leftover soup sets into a rich gel overnight — reheat gently and it returns to silky broth.