清润解热素苦瓜汤 Vegetarian Bitter Gourd Soup

With my husband's hectic traveling schedule and not drinking enough water for proper hydration, I decided to make him this soothing soup rich with cooling properties.
我丈夫因为工作的需要而时常出国公干，特别是这3月里在家的数日不超过一个礼拜。进来的气候炎热再加上工作上奔波我便为了他准备了这道清热的滋润汤解热。

This is my first time making this soup without the use of meat and we were pleasantly surprise with the outcome. To us, this vegetarian version taste better than the meat laden types which could sometime come with a foul aftertaste of dead meat.
这是我第一次尝试煮全素的苦瓜汤，煮出来的效果出乎意料的好喝，一点都不输给于用肉类焖煮的孤苦汤。现今不如以往，许多市场贩卖的肉都是冷藏而不新鲜，导致煮出来的汤带有腐臭的尸味。

If you are looking for something simple and yet nourishing then this is another soup option to consider.

你若是想尝试些简易即又滋养的汤食谱，那么这会是一道不错的选择可以考虑。

清润解热素苦瓜汤
Vegetarian Bitter Gourd Soup

Ingredients 材料

(A)
3 Medium Size Bitter Gourd 苦瓜

1 Large Carrot 红萝卜（大）

150g Chickpeas 鹰嘴豆

135g Vegetarian Burdock Meat Balls 素牛膀肉丸

10 pcs Chinese Mushrooms 香菇
3 pcs Dried Honey Dates 蜜枣干

1-1/2 inch Ginger 姜

3.5 Lit Water 清水

(B)
1-2 Sweet Corn 甜玉米
2 Tsp Mushroom Powder 香菇粉

1/2 Tbsp Salt 盐

Directions 步骤

Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain.
鹰嘴豆泡沉隔夜。洗净沥干。

Peel carrot and cut into chunks. Set aside.

红萝卜去皮后切块。搁置待用。

Slit bitter gourd in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds and white inner flesh to remove much of the bitterness from it. Cut into chunks.
把苦瓜从长端切一半，用勺子舀出来去除种子和内瓤，同时也可以减少苦味。切块后搁置。

Soak Chinese mushrooms for 1 hour the drain till tender. Remove stem and set aside.
香菇泡浸一小时至软后沥干水份，去掉角的部份。搁置待用。

Wash and remove the outer skin of the ginger with a metal spoon. Slice the ginger and set aside.
用勺子把姜批刮净，洗净后切片。搁置。

Wash and drain dried honey dates. Set aside. 

将蜜枣干洗净后沥干搁置待用。

Thoroughly wash and squeeze out excess oil from the vegetarian mock meat before using.
把素牛膀素肉丸洗净， 尽量洗去素肉内的油脂才采用。

Transfer all of the above stated ingredients into the high pressure cooker fill with 3.5 liters of water and boil under medium heat for 40 mins until tender. Allow the cooker to sit for 30 mins to release the trapped steam before opening the lid.

然后把以上沥干的材料包括花生及鹰嘴豆一起放入高压力锅，再加入2.5至3升的清水以中火煲40分钟至鹰嘴豆熟透软化即可。之后让锅里的困住的蒸汽慢慢散发，千万不要把锅盖打开。一直等到30分钟后才可把锅盖打开。

Transfer the soup and ingredients into a deep pot.
再把汤及料转入另个汤锅。

Wash sweet corn and cut into 1/3 length. Add sweet corn into pot together with the soup.
甜玉米洗净切成3段后混入汤内。

Cook under medium low heat for 1 hour or more.

继续以中小火煲煮1小时或以上都可。

Season with mushroom powder and salt. Serve.
熄火前加入香菇粉和盐巴调味。

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