Home Food & Receipts The Magic of Soup: A Mother-in-Law’s Fiery Temper and Her Secret Recipe

Food & Receipts

The Magic of Soup: A Mother-in-Law’s Fiery Temper and Her Secret Recipe

14 October, 2024

It wasn’t until later in life, when I decided to cook for my family, that I regretted not paying more attention to cooking earlier on. Had I honed my culinary skills sooner, I would have effortlessly whipped up any dish I desired. Living apart from my in-laws, this wouldn’t have been an issue, but living under the same roof, especially with a meticulous mother-in-law, made me anxious about my lack of cooking prowess.

In the initial phase of my marriage, I could manage household chores, but cooking made me tense. So, whenever I ventured into the kitchen, I would call my mother for advice, too intimidated to approach my mother-in-law. However, as we lived together, she noticed my culinary shortcomings and often joined me in the kitchen, patiently guiding me through various dishes without a hint of reproach. Under her tutelage, my cooking skills gradually improved, though I still had a long way to go.

It was only the day before yesterday that I was startled by my mother-in-law’s sudden outburst while I was cooking. With the Full Moon Festival approaching, she wanted to prepare a grand feast. After boiling a chicken, she noticed the rich broth and decided to use it for vegetable soup. Typically, I would also use chicken broth for vegetable soups without inviting any comments. But this time, as I casually went to drop the vegetables into the pot, my mother-in-law’s loud shout from the doorway startled me, causing me to drop the entire basket of vegetables in surprise.

Green vegetables and chicken are not a good combination.

“Wait! Stop right there! Don’t put those vegetables in!”

As the vegetables tumbled to the ground, my mother-in-law rushed to help me pick them up. I explained that I was making soup, and she gently informed me that green vegetables and chicken broth don’t go together. Green vegetables pair well with pork bone broth or minced meat.

So, I rinsed the vegetables and cooked them with minced meat, but my curiosity about the incompatibility of green vegetables and chicken remained. After doing some research, I realized that my mother-in-law’s culinary wisdom was spot on.

While both chicken and green vegetables offer abundant health benefits, they share a warm property in Eastern medicine. Combining them intensifies this warmth, generating excessive heat in the body. (Illustrative image)

According to the renowned polyclinic doctor Bui Hong Minh (former chairman of the Eastern Medicine Association of Ba Dinh, Hanoi), chicken has a sweet, warm nature, is non-toxic, and is highly nutritious. It is especially beneficial for individuals with weak digestion and absorption.

In Eastern medicine, green vegetables also possess a warm nature and a pungent taste. They aid in warming the spleen and stomach, stimulating digestion, and relieving colds. Additionally, they help clear phlegm and benefit the qi (energy flow) in the body. Their bitter taste earns them the moniker of bitter vegetables or green mustard greens.

Although chicken and green vegetables are nutritional powerhouses, their shared warm property can lead to an excess of heat in the body when consumed together.

Try this delicious green vegetable and minced meat soup recipe:

Ingredients:

– A bunch of green vegetables

– 50g minced pork shoulder

– A small knob of ginger

– Salt to taste

Instructions:

Clean and rinse the green vegetables, then chop them into bite-sized pieces.

In a pot, boil some water for the soup. Add salt and the minced meat, stirring to prevent the meat from clumping. Once the water boils, add the green vegetables and thinly sliced ginger. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender. Adjust the seasoning to taste, then turn off the heat.

Serve the soup and enjoy the flavors of health and happiness!

Happy cooking and bon appétit!

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Frequently asked questions

I wanted to cook for my family and regretted not honing my culinary skills sooner. Living with my in-laws, especially with a meticulous mother-in-law, made me anxious about my lack of cooking prowess.

I could manage household chores, but cooking made me tense. I felt intimidated to approach my mother-in-law for advice and instead called my mother whenever I ventured into the kitchen.

She noticed my culinary shortcomings and often joined me in the kitchen, patiently guiding me through various dishes without reproach. Under her tutelage, my cooking skills gradually improved.

The day before yesterday, while cooking, my mother-in-law suddenly shouted at me, startled by my combination of green vegetables and chicken broth. She rushed to explain that they don’t go together due to their shared warm property in Eastern medicine, which can lead to excess heat in the body.

According to Eastern medicine, both chicken and green vegetables have a warm nature. Combining them intensifies this warmth, resulting in excessive heat in the body. Chicken is sweet and warm, highly nutritious, and beneficial for those with weak digestion. Green vegetables are also warm and pungent, aiding digestion and relieving colds.

Green vegetables pair well with pork bone broth or minced meat. You can try a delicious recipe for green vegetable and minced meat soup provided in the text.

The text also offers a guide to stir-frying vegetables for crisp and vibrant results, as well as tips on preserving the color and nutrients of green vegetables when boiling them.