A Tradition of Soup

Book excerpt: Through recipes that use time-honored medicinal ingredients, A Tradition of Soup provides a fascinating narrative of the Southern Chinese immigrants who came to the United States in large numbers during the last half century, the struggles they faced and overcame, and the soups they used to heal and nourish their bodies. Following the Chinese approach to health, Teresa Chen, who was born into a family of food connoisseurs and raised by a gourmet cook, groups the recipes by seasons and health concerns according to Cantonese taxonomy: tong (simple broths, soups, and stews), geng (thickened soups), juk (rice soups or porridges), and tong shui (sweet soups), as well as noodle soups, wonton and dumpling soups, and vegetable soups. Also focusing on dahn (steaming) and louhfo (slow-cooking) soups associated with good health, the book features fresh, natural, and seasonal food. A Tradition of Soup highlights recipes that serve a wide range of purposes, from gaining or shedding weight to healing acne and preventing wrinkles. While some ingredients may seem foreign to Western readers, most are available in Chinese grocery stores. To help readers identify and procure these items, Chen provides a beautifully photographed ingredients glossary complete with Chinese names, pronunciation, and detailed descriptions.