Water Cress Soup

I read somewhere that the watercress is an historic British plant and has been cultivated in the spring waters in southern England long time ago, no wonder it's called sai yeong choy (西洋菜) in Cantonese! The plant has creeping, hollow, fleshy, square stems of about 40cm with many branches of lush-green, oblong-ovate leaves.



Watercress is a good source of vitamins A, C, B1, B6, K and E, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc. Its many therapeutic uses include coughs, head colds, bronchial ailments and toning the body system.

Being an aquatic vegetable, the watercress sometimes tend to have leeches clinging onto the stems. I normally soak it in water with a pinch of salt before washing. My mother taught me to always dip the watercress in boiling water first before simmering, otherwise, the soup will be bitter no matter what other ingredients you add in.

Water Cress Soup


400 gm watercress, washed and plucked to 3 inch length
150 gm pork ribs
4 pieces honey dates
6 pieces red dates
1 thumb size dried orange peel
1/2 tsp salt
3 liter water

1. Put watercress into pressure cooker pot of boiling water first.
2. Next, place remaining ingredients into the pressure cooker.
3. Cover and boil over high heat till you can see the second red indicator ring.
4. Switch to very low heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Serve hot with rice.