Watercress Soup … This is one of my fave soups and we have it almost once a week – the frequency due to the fact that the two hamsters at home luurve watercress, lol! Yeah, you can say that this is another ‘hamster food’! =x It’s funny how we plan our menu around the vegs that the hams like. Even B, who don’t used to like watercress, is now a convert, as I persuaded him that it’s 3 against 1 in the household who like watercress, haa!
Watercress Soup (西洋菜汤)
(with chicken, red dates, carrots, pao shen & wolfberries)
This recipe is revised for a few times and we really like it with chicken (versus pork ribs), while the addition of pao shen makes this soup more ‘cooling’ & ‘herby’. This is an easy & nutritious soup which is perfect for the hot & humid weather in Singapore. The hamsters are sure discerning, as the benefits of watercress are countless (among them: anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, high in Vitamin C).
Ingredients
(serves 3-4)
The vegetables & herbs used
- 1/2 fresh chicken, chopped and skin removed (or 2 chicken drumsticks/thighs, or 200g pork ribs)
- 200g watercress (ends trimmed, separate stems & leaves)
- 80g carrots, peeled & cut to pieces (I used peeled baby carrots as a short cut)
- 15 red dates (pitted)
- 1 tbsp wolfberries
- 1200ml water
- 10 short american ginseng (aka ‘Pao Shen, 泡参) [optional]
- a small pinch of salt [optional]
Directions
1. Blanch chicken in boiling water for 5 minutes (so that you are rid of the icky small bits). Set aside.
2. Place water, watercress stems, carrots, red dates and short american ginseng in pot and bring to a boil. Add the previously blanched chicken, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Add watercress leaves and wolfberries. Continue boiling for 10-15 minutes*.
4. Season with salt if needed.
* Watercress leaves are added later so that they stay crunchy. If you prefer them soft or don’t intend to eat the watercress, you can place it together with the other ingredients in step 2. Wolfberries are added later so that they stay firm and will not burst.
And with this post marks the first time I’m participating in weekend herb blogging, which is hosted by Kalyn this week. I would love to participate in this event more often, featuring perhaps … more ‘hamster food’! ;x
Watercress leaves: a pretty sight
More info about watercress:
- http://www.watercress.co.uk/
- Wiki: Watercress
- Watercress: Anti-cancer superfood
More watercress recipes:
- My friend Didally’s watercress soup =D
- Cuisine Paradise’s Herbal watercress soup
- Watercress salad
- Watercress and Broccoli Salad with Dried Cranberries
Another photo
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I just cooked this last night! Really like your current food photography style. Aren’t our hamsters fortunate? Hehe..
Very interesting sounding recipe. I love watercress and remember picking it wild when I was a young girl. Also I was interested to hear another name for ginseng that I hadn’t heard before. Welcome to Weekend Herb Blogging.
I love watercress soup too! Next time I will try chicken. For once, I wish I can turn into “hamsters” so that I have good food
Like your presentation too!
Your soups with herbs are really inspirtional. I’m not a big fan of chinese herbs but somehow u make these herbal soups seem delish..
Ah… I was just thinking I should make watercress soup soon
I usually double boil mine, chuck everything in a slow cooker for 6-10 hours. Put them in before i leave the house and come home to hot soup. Mmmm… I tend to use honey dates (蜜枣) with water cress soup, and pork; they both make the soup sweeter. My mother’s recipe, I must follow 
^ double-boiled~! for 6-10 hours!! =O your soup must taste very heavenly, yummy.
I usually leave my soup in the thermal cooker for a few hours too, maybe I will try honey dates next time =D
Thanks for the nice comments all =D
I’ve never had watercress anyway other than raw, nor have I ever tasted the dates, ginseng, or wolfberries. I love recipes where I can’t imagine what they’d taste like!
Yeah, I’m a convert now.
I used to think the leaves have a strong smell. The soup tastes very good actually, sweet and herby. 
Laurie: hee, watercress soup is actually common where I stay (Singapore). I’ve never actually tried raw watercress b4 but I’ll find some organic ones to toss in my salads next time. Thanks for visiting my blog! =)
Looks interesting. I would have never thought of putting this combo together. I’m going to try it this weekend.
^ Hi Chef Erik, thanks for visiting my blog … and …omg you are a real chef! =O Hope you like the recipe and if u can, give me some honest feedback
Looks tasty although I’m having trouble imagining what it tastes like. I guess I’ll have to try it out:-) BTW, I love you present your list of ingredients.
Is it really that exotic? =D Thanks for your kind words =)
I would like to know..where can i purchase the water cress vegetable from and is it known by another name?? Cant find it in NTUC and shop n save…
Hi Worried, I always have no problem getting it at NTUC and I often see it at Shop n Save too! I think it’s labeled as ‘watercress’ (西洋菜). Where my NTUC is, it’s usually found in the same fridge as where the mushrooms are placed. Hope u find it!!
Wow…. thanks for sharing your watercress recipe. This is new to me to add “american ginseng” to this soup
And thanks for referring to my recipe link too 
Ellana, ‘american gingseng’ lends a more herby taste and makes it more cooling too, hee … You’re welcome about the link, I am a huge fan of your food blog … thanks for visiting me =)
Oh i see.. thanks for the explaination
and your kind compliment on my blog. I had nv see you around my blog until i saw your bloglink thru the counter 
It’s great to know u thru there cos you have a fantastic blog that full of wonderful recipes and pictures… 
btw i tried cooking this soup but it turn out to be very bitter.. i know it shld nt be so bitter. any solution to it?
Hi ally, hmm I just cooked it last night and it was quite sweet… in fact I even added bitter almonds hee =P Did you follow the recipe exact? to make it sweeter, you also try pork ribs and honey red dates (instead of normal dates). Hope it helps.
hello wiffy…
am glad that I found this recipe.. am thinking of cooking this soup this weekend. May I check with you with this recipe, can I still add “mi zao”, apparently “mi zao” will make the soup sweet. BTW… I just found you yesterday, love this site.. your receipes are very interesting and informative
I ever heard some old ppl said red dates will make the soup bitter? Just curious
Hi parsley, are “mi zao” honey red dates? (see this post, 3rd photo.) If we are talking about the same thing, yeah you can add it! It makes the soup really sweet. Just add one or two, coz in my opinion mi zao is really really sweet. If you add mi zao, you can omit or lessen the red dates. I personally don’t find that red dates make the soup bitter. I find it gives a slight and subtle sweet taste to the soup which I like hehe … I guess it’s personal preferance
hello
yes yes.. it is honey red dates.. he..he.. I only know the “dialect” version. ok ok.. I will try it out. I love to drink soup.. now I am into preparing soup.. thanks for your soup recipes!!
You’re welcome, hope you like the taste when you try it out