Recently I tried my hand at making soup with dried kelp and it turned out pretty good, so here it is.

Kelp and Soybean Soup #

• Prep time: overnight
• Cook time: 2-3 hours

Ingredients (Serves 4) #

• 1 lb of pork ribs or shoulder, chopped into large chunks
• 1 sq ft of dried kelp
• 1.5 cups of dry soybeans, soaked overnight
• 1 fresh nagaimo (huai-shan, forearm sized)
• 1 candied date (the kind that are dry and hard and look kind of stripey)
• salt

Directions #

1. Soak soybeans overnight (at least 4 hours if you’re doing this during the day)
2. Soak the kelp for 15 minutes
3. Peel and cut the nagaimo into large angular chunks (1-2 inches), be careful because it’s slippery.
4. Put everything in a large pot and cover with water, then turn on the stove.
5. When the water boils, reduce to a simmer and cook for two and a half hours. Check in after 30 minutes and skim off any foam clumps that appear at the top. If too much water boils off, add more water and bring the temperature back up.
6. Skim off any remaining impurities floating on top, add salt to taste, and serve.