We drink soup almost every dinner and the lotus root is a common ingredient for us.
The lotus root with cranberry bean soup is a variation to the usual lotus root with peanut soup that my mum always cooked for us. I prefer using the cranberry bean （珍珠豆）because it has a creamier texture when chewed upon as compared to peanuts. Taste-wise, it is sweeter and less nutty.
What are Cranberry Beans?
I typically find fresh cranberry beans in the local wet markets as well as in Sheng Shiong. It seems that the rest of the major supermarket in Singapore do not carry them.
Known as borlotti, the Italians use cranberry beans in soups and stews.
These beans are nutrients-packed with vitamins and minerals, iron, protein and dietary fibre.
It is a pity that these pretty-looking pink shell beans lose their colour after cooking.
Other key ingredients
I love to include chicken feet into the soup to give the stock a stickier texture. But I never appreciate eating them on its own.
Coupled with the creaminess arising from the cranberry soup, this version of the clear lotus soup has a thicker texture.
Another must-have ingredient is the dried cuttlefish to give the soup an additional fragrant. Using dried octopus is a great option too.
Ingredient for Cranberry Beans Lotus Soup
Fresh cranberry beans with shell (600g)
Lotus Roots* (600g) – A fresh lotus root should feel firm. Those from the wet market are probably still covered in mud.
Pork Soup Bone* / Pork Ribs (300g)
10 Chicken Feet (optional)
1 small Dried Cuttlefish*
5L Water
(Serves 8)
Method
Start your preparation at least 2 hours before mealtime.
Blanch the pork soup bone or pork ribs in boiling water to remove impurities.
Wash and transfer the pork into your stock pot of boiling water.
De-shell the cranberry beans and wash.
Wash and peel lotus roots. Cut into 1 cm thick slices.
Clean chicken feet and chop away the nails if they are still there.
Wash and cut dried cuttlefish into strips.
Add all the ingredients into the stock pot and bring the water back to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and allow the soup to shimmer for over 1 1/2 hour.
Add salt and serve. Note that the cuttlefish is salty by nature, so you may want to adjust your salt quantity accordingly.
Enjoy!
Like this post? You may also like my other soup posts then.
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