Introduction: Hot soup on a cold winter day is not only warming but also nutritious, but making a delicious pot of soup is no easy feat. If you make the following mistakes during the process, the taste of the soup won't be as good.
Drinking a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter day not only helps to drive away the cold but also replenishes various nutrients. However, making a delicious pot of soup is no easy task. In this issue, experts will list several common mistakes made when making soup.
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First, not adding enough water.
Water is key to making soup; it is not only the medium for heat transfer but also the solvent for the food. The first mistake people often make when making soup is not adding enough water, leading to the need to add water midway, which affects the soup's flavor. Generally, the amount of water added when making soup should be at least three times the weight of the ingredients. If water must be added midway, it is 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 always worry 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 increases the purine content in the soup, thereby increasing the risk of gout, while the nutrients in the food will also slowly be lost. For soups like bone broth or pig's trotter soup, the time can be slightly extended, but it should not exceed 3 hours.
Third, randomly adding "ingredients".
Many people hope to nourish their bodies by drinking soup and therefore add some Chinese medicinal herbs. However, different Chinese medicinal herbs have different properties. Before making the soup, one must understand the properties of Chinese herbs, such as cold, hot, warm, and cool. For example, American ginseng is slightly cool, while ginseng, angelica, and dangshen are warm, and goji berries are neutral. In addition, choose Chinese medicinal herbs based on your physical condition. For instance, people with excessive internal cold should choose warm herbs like angelica and dangshen, but people 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 main seasonings when making soup. Some believe that adding salt early allows it to fully "blend" into the ingredients and soup, improving the soup's taste, but this is actually a misconception. Adding salt too early causes the protein in the meat to coagulate, making it difficult to dissolve, and also makes the soup color darker and the consistency less rich. Adding salt later does not affect the soup's flavor; on the contrary, it keeps the meat tender and fresh. Therefore, it is best to add salt just before serving.
Fifth, boiling the soup too vigorously.
When making soup, you should first bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. High heat will cause the meat to lose moisture too quickly, resulting in a poorer texture. The heat should be controlled so that the soup is gently simmering.
Sixth, using too many seasonings.
P>"Using more seasonings to enhance the flavor" is another major误区 when making soup. Too many and varied seasonings can mix flavors, affecting the soup's original umami and the meat's natural texture. Generally, one type of meat pairs well with 2-4 seasonings. For example, when making chicken soup, you only need ginger, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns.