Chinese Watercress Soup

Instructions

1. Prepare the pork bones
   Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the pork bones for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones under cold water to remove any impurities. This helps create a clear soup.
2. Set up the soup base
   In a large pot, add the blanched pork bones, ginger slices, and 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
3. Add the dried ingredients
   Add the red dates, honey dates, and soaked almonds to the simmering broth. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to extract the flavors and nutrients.
4. Add vegetables
   Add the carrots and daikon radish chunks to the soup. Continue to simmer for another 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
5. Cook the watercress
   Add the watercress and goji berries to the soup. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the watercress has softened and released its flavor into the broth.
6. Season and serve
   Season the soup with salt to taste. The soup should have a slightly sweet taste from the dates with the distinctive flavor of watercress. Serve hot as a starter or alongside rice as part of a meal.