I had some leftover butternut squash so I decided to make this soup. I like to roast my butternut squash first because it caramelizes and adds an additional sweetness to the soup. If you don’t want to use roasted butternut squash, feel free to replace that with turnips, daikon, napa cabbage, spinach, or whatever vegetables you’d like. Although if you want to use turnips or daikon, make sure to cook that for an hour along with the spare ribs.
Chinese Spare Ribs and Butternut Squash Soup
Source: Lo Huynh (2 servings)
Ingredients:
½ pound spare ribs
1 pound butternut squash, seeds removed
4 cups water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Garnish:
1 teaspoon scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon cilantro , chopped
Directions:
1. Roast the butternut squash in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 minutes, or until tender. Let cool and then peel and cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
2. For the spare ribs, cover with water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Throw away this water and clean the spare ribs by washing the spareribs with cold water.
3. Place the clean spare ribs in a clean pot and add 4 cups of water, along with the chicken bouillon, ginger, and salt.
4. Cook on low heat for one hour.
5. Add the roasted butternut squash and let this simmer for another twenty minutes.
6. Garnish with scallions and cilantro.
7. Serve with steamed white rice, if desired.