Dried Bok Choy Soup (菜乾湯) - Oh My Food Recipes

Name: Dried Bok Choy Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch Dried bok choy ((3 oz)); 1/2 cup Dried scallops ((small, 3 oz)); 1.5 pounds Pork bones ((4 pieces)); 10 cups Water ((Top stove method total 12 cups))

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Dried bok choy soup or choy gon tong (菜乾湯) is a classic Cantonese Chinese soup like sweet corn carrots soup, green radish carrots soup, tomato potato soup, watercress pork soup, lotus root soup and Hong Kong borscht soup recipes. Also, this dried bok choy soup recipe is simple and tasty! It has both instant pot and top stove methods. Let’s learn how to make this Chinese dried bok choy soup with detailed step by step photo instructions and a video below the recipe card.

Love soup? Check out these gobo soup, miso soup, kimchi tofu soup, hot & sour soup, chicken gnocchi soup and Korean samgyetang and wonton soup recipes.

dried bok choy pork soup in the white bowl

What is dried bok choy soup (菜乾湯)?

Dried bok choy soup is a classic and traditional Cantonese Chinese soup. In Cantonese, it calls choy gon tong (菜乾湯) literally translate as dried vegetables soup. This soup is a classic and common soup in Canton area, southern part of China. From a Chinese medicine point of view, this soup helps moisturize the lungs, stop coughing and reduce mucus.

Normally, this type of Chinese dried vegetable soup, some people like to add Chinese honey sweet dates which gives sweetness to the soup. However, this time I added dried scallops instead of the sweet honey dates. Also, this choy gon tong recipe has both instant pot pressure cooker and top stove methods.

What are the ingredients for Chinese dried bok choy soup?

In this dried bok choy soup recipe, the ingredients are choy gon (dried bok choy), pork bones water and dried scallops. However, some people like to add Chinese sweet honey dates because it gives a sweetness to the soup.

My family sometimes add Chinese honey dates like the watercress soup and sometimes use dried scallops for extra umami flavor. Both taste delicious, it depends if you like sweet or savory. When I add dried scallops, I don’t add salt because dried scallops have a salty taste. But, you can still add salt to your taste.

Cooking tips for how to make dried bok choy soup:

Wash and soak choy gon in water for 1-2 hours to remove dirt and bugs. Then, wash them very well like 3 times because you don't want to drink sand in the soup.
Next, wash or rinse the dried scallops a few times (2-3 times) in order to remove sand or dirt.
Then, wash pork bones. Some people like to boil the pork bones to remove excess blood and fat before making soup.
If you use the top stove method, add 2 more cups of water (total 12 cups) and simmer for around 2 hours.

FAQs:

What is choy gon (菜乾)?

Choy gon (菜乾) is dried or dehydrated bok choy. Often bok choy is dried under the sun. Besides, people like to use choy gon to make congee and soup.
In Chinese medicine practice, choy gon helps with cold, coughing, moisturizing lungs and remove internal heat (熱氣). However, it's not suitable for people who have weak spleen. Also, choy gon needs to be washed and soaked into water in order to remove dirt and bugs.

Where do you buy choy gon?

My aunties gave it to me and they dehydrated them under the sun. You can find some in Asian stores. Or, you can dry your own choy gon or bok choy.

How do you handle choy gon?

Soak choy gon, dried bok choy, in water for 1-2 hours to remove dirt and bugs. After that, wash them very well like 3 times because you don't want to drink sand in the soup.

What are dried scallops?

Dried scallop is a very common ingredient in southern Chinese cuisine. It's hard in dried form. Therefore, most of the time they need to soak in water before using it. Besides, dried scallops are low in fat, good source of protein and little salty taste because it is dried and condensed the sea salt.

Do I have to add dried scallops?

No, you don't have to add dried scallops. You add Chinese sweet honey dates or not add it. Just dried bok choy and pork bone are ok as well.

Instructions for how to make instant pot dried bok choy soup:

soaking dried bok choy in the white bowl top view

1. Put 1 bunch (3 oz) of choy gon (dried bok choy) into the bowl and pour 6 cups of water. Let it soak for 1-2 hours to remove dirt and bugs. Then, wash them very well like 3 times.

soaking dried scallops in the container top view

2. After that, put ½ cup (3 oz) of dried scallops into the container and pour 1 cup of water to wash and rinse the dried scallops 2-3 times in order to remove sand and dirt.

3. Then, wash or rinse 1.5 pounds of pork bones (4 pieces) with hot water. Some people like to boil the pork bones to remove excess blood and fat before making soup.

pork neck bone in the instant pot pressure cooker top view

4. Next, put the washed pork bones from step 3 into the instant pot pressure cooker.

dried boy choy and pork in the instant pot pressure cooker top view

5. Put the washed and soaked choy gon (dried bok choy) from step 1 into the instant pot pressure cooker.

dried scallops bok choy and pork in instant pot top view

6. The following step, put the washed dried scallops from step 2 into an instant pot.

water added into the instant pot with dried bok choy pork and scallops

7. Pour 10 cups of water into the instant pot. Then, close the lid and vent. Push the manual button to adjust time for 70 minutes at high pressure and naturally release pressure.

cooked dried bok choy pork soup with dried scallops in the instant pot top view

8. When the soup is done, open the lid and use a strainer to remove excess fat. Add salt to your taste. ( I didn't add any salt because dried scallops are a little salty.)

Enjoy this instant pot dried bok choy soup recipe! Also, check out these ginger milk curd, pork knuckles ginger stew, lobster yee mein, clay pot rice, pork & pickled vegetable noodle soup, pan fried dumplings and ham fried rice recipes.

Instructions for top stove choy gon tong:

1. Put 1 bunch (3 oz) of choy gon (dried bok choy) into the bowl and pour 6 cups of water. Let it soak for 1-2 hours to remove dirt and bugs. Then, wash them very well like 3 times.

2. After that, put ½ cup (3 oz) of dried scallops into the container and pour 1 cup of water to wash and rinse the dried scallops 2-3 times in order to remove sand and dirt.

3. Then, wash or rinse 1.5 pounds of pork bones (4 pieces) with hot water. Some people like to boil the pork bones to remove excess blood and fat before making soup.

4. Next, put the washed pork bones from step 3 into a big pot.

5. Put the washed and soaked choy gon (dried bok choy) from step 1 into the pot.

6. The following step, put the washed dried scallops from step 2 into the pot.

7. Pour 12 cups of water into the pot. Turn the fire to high until it is boiling, then turn the fire to small and simmer for at least 2 hours.

8. When the soup is done, open the lid and use a strainer to remove excess fat. Add salt to your taste. ( I didn't add any salt because dried scallops are a little salty.)