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The First Soup I Ever Learned to Make - Pork Bone Soup with Corn, Carrot, and Water Chestnuts — finished dish, ready to serve.

Pork Bone Soup with Corn, Carrot, and Water Chestnuts

人生中学会煲的第一道汤—玉米胡萝卜马蹄煲猪骨 · cantonese cuisine · Canton

120 min total105 min cooking4 stepssavorysweet

This soup was the first Cantonese slow-simmered soup the author was told to learn after moving to Guangdong, knowing nothing about making soup. The ingredients are simple and available year-round. The broth is light and refreshing, nourishing, and suitable for all ages.

Ben Okafor's profile photoBen OkaforCollege senior with a tiny dorm kitchen and big ambitions. Ramen, jollof rice experiments, and everything with too much garlic. Learning as I go, mostly burning toast.

Nutrition & allergens

No supported allergens detected from surveyed ingredients.

Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.

Per serving (4 servings)

Energy (kcal)
Unknown
Protein (g)
Unknown
Fat (g)
Unknown
Carbs (g)
Unknown
Sodium (mg)
Unknown

Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.

  • Pork Bones ingredient

    Pork Bones猪骨

    10.58 oz

  • Corn kernels ingredient identification photo

    corn kernels玉米

    0.5 piece

  • Carrot ingredient identification photo

    carrot胡萝卜

    0.5 piece

  • Fresh water chestnuts ingredient

    Fresh water chestnuts马蹄（荸荠）

    7.0 piece

  • Fresh ginger ingredient identification photo

    ginger姜

    3.0 piece

  • Fine salt ingredient identification photo

    salt盐

    to taste

Techniques you'll use

Steps

  1. 1

    Step 15 min

    High heatBlanching (chao shui) ↗
    The First Soup I Ever Learned to Make - Pork Bone Soup with Corn, Carrot, and Water Chestnuts — step 1 visual checkpoint.

    Rinse the pork bones under the tap, place them in a pot with fresh water and 2 slices of ginger, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off the foam, let it boil uncovered for another 2 to 3 minutes, then turn off the heat. Remove the bones and rinse them again with warm water; set aside.

    ✅ Done when: The foam has been skimmed and, after an additional 2 to 3 minutes of uncovered boiling, the bones are removed and rinsed clean.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Chicken stock (gao tang) ↗
    The First Soup I Ever Learned to Make - Pork Bone Soup with Corn, Carrot, and Water Chestnuts — step 2 visual checkpoint.

    Put the cleaned pork bones into a clay pot, add plenty of fresh water, one piece of ginger lightly smashed, and a tiny splash of mature vinegar (to help the calcium from the bones dissolve into the soup). Bring to a boil over high heat.

    ✅ Done when: The pot is over high heat and the broth has come to a rolling boil.

  3. 3

    Step 3

    The First Soup I Ever Learned to Make - Pork Bone Soup with Corn, Carrot, and Water Chestnuts — step 3 visual checkpoint.

    Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients: peel the husk off the corn and cut it into short sections (the author usually halves each section), peel the carrot and cut it into roll-cut chunks, and wash, peel, and halve the water chestnuts.

    ✅ Done when: The corn is sectioned, the carrot is peeled and cut into chunks, and the water chestnuts are peeled and halved.

  4. 4

    Step 4105 min

    Medium heatSimmering (dun) ↗
    The First Soup I Ever Learned to Make - Pork Bone Soup with Corn, Carrot, and Water Chestnuts — step 4 visual checkpoint.

    Add the washed and cut corn, carrot, and water chestnuts to the clay pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. Season with a little salt, turn off the heat, and serve.

    ✅ Done when: After 1.5 to 2 hours of gentle simmering, the broth is clear and flavorful and the vegetables are tender.