A hot soup on a cold winter day is not only warming but also nutritious. However, making a delicious pot of soup is no easy task. If you make the following mistakes during the process, the soup won't turn out as tasty.
First, not adding enough water.
Water is key to making soup; it is not only the medium for heat transfer but also a solvent for the food. The first mistake people often make is not adding enough water, which leads to having to add water midway and affects the soup's flavor. Generally, the amount of water added should be at least three times the weight of the ingredients. If you must add water midway, it's best to use hot water, not cold water, as this will have the least impact on the soup's flavor.
Second, cooking for too long.
Some people are always afraid that the soup won't absorb enough flavor if cooked for too short a time. In fact, for meat soups, the optimal time is half an hour to one hour, which ensures both good texture and nutrition. Cooking for too long will increase the purine content in the soup, thereby increasing the risk of gout, and the nutrients in the food will also gradually be lost. For soups made with bones or pig's trotters, the cooking time can be slightly extended, but it should not exceed 3 hours.
Third, randomly adding "ingredients".
Many people want to nourish their bodies by drinking soup and thus add some Chinese medicinal herbs. However, different medicinal herbs have different properties. Before making the soup, you must understand the nature of each herb, such as its cold, hot, warm, or cool properties. For example, American ginseng is slightly cool, while ginseng, angelica, and dangshen are warm, and goji berries are neutral. Additionally, you should choose medicinal herbs based on your physical condition. For instance, people with excessive internal cold should choose warm herbs like angelica or dangshen, but those with a "hot" constitution might experience "heatiness" after consuming them. Therefore, if you want to add Chinese medicinal herbs to your soup, it's best to do so according to your own constitution.
Fourth, adding salt too early.
Salt is one of the most important seasonings in soup. Some believe that adding salt early allows it to fully "melt" into the ingredients and soup, improving the taste. This is actually a misconception. Adding salt too early will cause the proteins in the meat to coagulate, making them less soluble, and will also make the soup color darker and its consistency less rich. Adding salt later will not affect the soup's flavor; on the contrary, it can keep the meat tender and fresh. Therefore, it's best to add salt just before the soup is done.
Fifth, letting the soup boil vigorously.
When making soup, you should first bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce it to a simmer. A high heat will cause the meat to lose moisture too quickly, resulting in a poorer texture. The ideal way to control the heat is to keep the soup at a gentle simmer.
Sixth, using too many seasonings.
"Using more seasonings to enhance the flavor" is another common misconception in soup making. Too many and varied seasonings can clash with each other, affecting the soup's original umami and the meat's natural texture. Generally, a combination of 2 to 4 seasonings is perfect for a type of meat. For example, when making chicken soup, you only need to add ginger leaves, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns.