【Ingredients】
Main ingredients: 400g pork ribs, 300g kelp, 30g barley
Additional ingredients: 5g ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon cooking wine
【Instructions】
1. Soak the barley in water for more than 5 hours in advance; boil the pork ribs in cold water, add 1 tablespoon of cooking wine, remove after boiling out the blood water
2. Slice the ginger; rinse the kelp repeatedly and twist it into knots
3. Put the pork ribs, barley, and kelp in a clay pot, add enough water, bring to a boil over high heat, and simmer over low heat for 60 minutes; add salt to taste
【Notes】
Kelp is not easy to cook, but if cooked for too long, it will become hard. Adding vinegar to the soup will soften the kelp quickly. If cooking kelp with bone soup, vinegar can dissolve the calcium and phosphorus in the bones, killing two birds with one stone. Adding a few spinach leaves can also make the kelp more tender. Blanching before cooking the soup can also make it more flavorful. When cooking with pork ribs, if there is foam on the surface of the broth, it must be skimmed off so that the broth will be clear.
1. Do not soak kelp for a long time
Do not soak kelp for a long time before eating. Generally, soaking for about 6 hours is enough, because soaking for too long will dissolve the nutrients in the kelp, such as water-soluble vitamins and inorganic salts, reducing their nutritional value. If the kelp becomes soft and loses its elasticity like it has been overcooked after soaking in water, it has spoiled and should not be eaten. According to traditional Chinese medicine, kelp is cold in nature and should be avoided by those with weak spleen and stomach.
2. Do not treat kelp as a staple food
Do not treat kelp as a staple food for a long time, as this will lead to excessive intake of iodine, which can have an impact on health. Moreover, kelp contains a certain amount of arsenic, and excessive intake of arsenic can cause poisoning. Therefore, before eating kelp, it should be rinsed with water to dissolve the arsenic in water.
3. Do not drink tea or eat fruits immediately after eating kelp
Do not drink tea (which contains tannic acid) immediately after eating kelp, and do not eat sour fruits (which contain plant acids) immediately. This is because kelp is rich in iron, and both tea and sour fruits can hinder the absorption of iron in the body.
4. Special groups should be cautious in eating kelp
Patients with hyperthyroidism should not eat kelp, as the high iodine content in kelp can worsen the condition. Pregnant and lactating women should not eat too much kelp. This is because the iodine in kelp can enter the fetus and infant through blood circulation, causing thyroid dysfunction.
