Burdock Soup

Burdock (牛蒡) or known as klit in dutch is a very healthy vegetable.Burdock root is very crisp and has a sweet, mild, and pungent flavor with a little muddy harshness that can be reduced by soaking julienne/shredded roots in water for five to ten minutes.Japanese dish is kinpira gobō, julienned or shredded burdock root and carrot, braised with soy sauce, sugar, mirin and/or sake, and sesame oil; another is burdock makizushi (sushi filled with pickled burdock root rather than fish; the burdock root is often artificially colored orange to resemble a carrot).Burdock is a traditional medicinal herb that is used for many ailments. Burdock root oil extract, also called Bur oil, is popular in Europe as a scalp treatment applied to improve hair strength, shine and body, help reverse scalp conditions such as dandruff, and combat hair loss. Folk herbalists consider dried burdock to be a diuretic, diaphoretic, and a blood purifying agent. The seeds of A. lappa are used in traditional Chinese medicine, under the name niupangzi (Chinese: 牛蒡子; pinyin: niúpángzi; Some dictionaries list the Chinese as just 牛蒡 niúbàng.)Burdock has been used for centuries as a blood purifier clearing the bloodstream of some toxins, and as a diuretic (helping rid the body of excess water by increasing urine output), and as a topical remedy for skin problems such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis. While, I likes to cook burdock soup cause it is very good for our immune system.

Source: Wikipedia, my sis

Ingredients:

1 burdock (peeled, cut)
1-2 carrot( peeled, cut)
10 red dates
500g pork ribs or chicken
3 liters water

Methods:

1. Wash the pork ribs, boil it for awhile. Remove heat, strain the 'dirty' water.
2. Put clean water and the rest of ingredients into the pot and bring it to boil, then turn into low heat and simmer it for at least 2 hours. Put some salt to taste.


Notes:

1. I put all the ingredients into slow cooker and let it cook overnight. Sometimes, when I'm in hurry, I will use pressure cooker and cook it for 1 hour.
2. Please adjust the amount of water.