Chenpi Pork Rib Soup
- By jackTao
- Oct 12, 2025
90 min
Instructions:
- 1
Prepare Ingredients
- Blanch the pork ribs in hot water to remove blood and impurities. Drain and set aside.
- Rinse the chenpi (tangerine peel), American ginseng, dendrobium, Solomon's seal, and ophiopogon thoroughly with clean water.
- Clean the double-boiler pot.
- Prepare Ingredients
- Blanch the pork ribs in hot water to remove blood and impurities. Drain and set aside.
- Rinse the chenpi (tangerine peel), American ginseng, dendrobium, Solomon's seal, and ophiopogon thoroughly with clean water.
- Clean the double-boiler pot.
- Assemble and Cook
- Open the double-boiler pot and place the pork ribs at the bottom.
- Add the chenpi, ophiopogon, Solomon's seal, dendrobium, and American ginseng on top of the ribs.
- Pour hot water into the inner pot, but do not fill completely - leave some space at the top.
- Fill the outer chamber of the double-boiler with water and steam for 1.5 hours.
- Add salt to taste, and serve hot.
Recipe Notes:
- ⚠️ SAFETY WARNING: The double-boiler pot gets extremely hot. Be careful when handling to avoid burns or dropping the pot.
- This recipe makes 1 serving. Scale up the ingredients proportionally for more servings.
- Cantonese slow-cooked soups emphasize quality ingredients and proper cooking time. As long as you prepare the ingredients well and cook for the right duration, success is guaranteed!
- Chenpi (aged tangerine peel) is a key ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine and Cantonese cuisine. The older the chenpi, the more medicinal properties it contains.
- A double-boiler (炖盅) is recommended for this recipe as it allows gentle steaming without direct heat, preserving the nutrients and creating a clear, refined broth.
- American ginseng helps nourish yin and clear heat, making this soup particularly suitable for those who stay up late or feel fatigued.
- This soup is known for its health benefits: it tonifies the spleen and stomach, moistens the lungs, and soothes the throat.
- The soup can be prepared in advance and reheated, but is best enjoyed fresh and hot.
Ingredients:
Serving size
Main Ingredients
- 4-5 pieces pork ribs (can substitute with pork bones)
- 1 section chenpi (aged tangerine peel, 8-20 years old recommended) - use 1 section from a 3-section piece
Herbal Ingredients
- 9 slices American ginseng (also called Panax quinquefolius)
- 6 pieces dendrobium (shi hu)
- 5 slices Solomon's seal (yu zhu)
- 7 pieces ophiopogon (mai dong)
Seasoning
- 5 g salt