Ingredients:

•     1 fresh ginseng
•     1 free-range chicken
•     5 black dates
•     1 liter boiling water
•     1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Cook chicken in boiling water for 5 minutes. Dish and rinse.
2. Put all ingredients into a double-boiler, double-boil at high heat for 3 hours.
3. Add salt to taste. Serve hot.

This is a Guangdong recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 can winter melon
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp. ginger, finely shredded
• 1 oz. lean pork, cut into matchstick strips
• 1 ½ oz. prawns
• Salt, pepper and MSG to taste
• 1 tsp. sesame oil

Directions:

1. Tip all the contents of the can into a saucepan. Cut the pieces of melon into halves if they seem very big.
2. Add the stock, ginger, pork and prawns.
3. Bring to boil and adjust the seasoning. Serve sprinkled with sesame oil.

Ingredients:

•     1 tsp. vegetable oil
•     1 yellow onion, minced
•     3 1/2 c. chicken broth
•     2 oz. vermicelli
•     1/2 head of Chinese cabbage, shredded
•     1 tsp. dry sherry

Directions:

1. In a wok or skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add onion and cook until onion is transparent (about 1 minute). Stir occasionally.
2. Add chicken broth and vermicelli. Raise heat to medium and bring mixture to a slow boil. Continue boiling for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
3. Add cabbage and simmer another 5 minutes. Stir in sherry.

Ingredients:

•     2 cans chicken broth
•     1/2 c. snow peas
•     1 pkg. tofu chopped
•     1 bunch celery, cabbage
•     1 c. fresh mushrooms
•     1 c. sliced zucchini
•     1 pkg. bean sprouts
•     1/4 c. soy sauce
•     1 tbsp. sesame seeds
•     1 can water chestnuts, drained

Directions:

1. Heat chicken broth to boiling.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer about 30 minutes until vegetables are just tender.

Ingredients:

•     ½ a sea cucumber
•     2 cups chicken stock
•     30 g peeled prawns, diced if large
•     1 ½ tbsp thawed frozen green peas
•     1 dried black mushroom, soaked and finely sliced
•     ½ cake soft beancurd, finely diced
•     1 tsp salt
•     3 tsp white pepper powder
•     1 tsp sesame oil
•     2 tbsp cornflour, blended with water
•     1 egg, lightly beaten
•     2 tbsp black rice vinegar
•     1 tbsp finely sliced spring onion

Directions:

1. Soak the sea cucumber in hot water, until soft, then cut in half lengthwise. Clean the interior and dice the flesh finely.
2. Heat the stock and add sea cucumber, prawns, peas, mushroom, fungus, beancurd and tomato.
3. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 minute.
4. Add salt, pepper and sesame oil.
5. Thicken the soup with cornflour, then add the egg and stir until set.
6. Add the vinegar, pour into a serving bowl and garnish with spring onion.

Ingredients:

•     2 lb honeydew melon
•     1 lb spare rib
•     2 slices ginger

Seasoning:

•     Salt

Directions:

1. Wash seed and cut honeydew melon into large pieces.Wash and chop up spare rib.
2. Blanch in boiling water for a while. Rinse and drain.
3. Boil suitable amount of water. Put in honeydew melon, spare rib and ginger. Parboil for 30 minutes. Then cook over medium heat for 2 hours. Stir in seasoning. Serve hot.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. fillet of white fish
• 2 dried mushrooms
• 2 oz. tomato
• 1 1/2 oz. fresh or frozen broad beans
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 slices of ginger
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsps. Rice wine
• 1/2 tsp. MSG
• 2 tsps. Cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsps. cold water

Directions:

1. Put the fish fillet into boiling water for 1 minute, then skin and mash it.
2. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes, discard the hard centre stems and cut the caps into quarters of sixths.
3. Skin and deseed the tomato and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
4. Skin the broad beans by dipping in boiling water (if frozen), or boiling for about 5 minutes (if fresh).
5. Heat the stock and put in the mashed fish, mushrooms, tomato, broad beans and ginger.
6. Check the seasoning, add the rice wine and MSG and simmer for 3 minutes.
7. Thicken with cornstarch mixture and serve.

Ingredients:

•     ½ duck, cut into big pieces
•     200g preserved mustard, soaked and cut into pieces
•     2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
•     5 slices ginger
•     1 liter boiling water
•     Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Cook duck in boiling water for 5 minutes. Dish and rinse.
2. Put all ingredients into a double-boiler, double-boil at high heat for 3 hours. Add in salt if necessary.