Almost-Japanese Lotus Root and Pork Rib Curry Soup

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork spare ribs
• 1 T kosher salt
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 generous T curry powder (preferable S&B)
• 1 pound lotus root, peeled and thinly sliced (pop it in some vinegar water, if you’re keeping it for any length of time, so it won’t turn brown)
• 6 thin slices of ginger
• 1 tablespoon dried goji berries (optional)
• 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 Fresno red chile, diced (optional)
• 1 bunch broccoli florets – or broccolini which has been sliced into 3″ segments

Cover the pork ribs with water in a large pot and bring to a hard boil, then drain and rinse the ribs. Put them back in the pot and cover them again with water, add the salt, and place them on high heat until boiling.  Immediately turn the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for about 1 hour, skimming off any fat and residue while the ribs are simmering.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent (about 2 minutes).  Add the curry powder and saute for another minute.  When the pork has cooked for the first hour, add the sauteed onion and garlic and the lotus root, ginger, and goji berries to the pot with the ribs.  Bring it back to boil, and then immediately turn it to down to a slow simmer. Cover and let it gently simmer for another hour.  Add more salt – or soy sauce – to taste.

Use the same skillet in which you sautéed the onion and garlic, add a bit more oil and – over medium high heat – quickly fry the bell pepper, chile, and broccoli, stirring frequently,  until they’re almost soft.  Then add them to the pork pot 15 minutes or so before the soup is done (you don’t want the greens to lose their bright color).

Dish it up and enjoy.