it’s been a hot minute since I last learned a new soup recipe from my grandmother. previously, she taught me how to make my all-time favourite Apple Pork Soup—and honestly, I never thought making soup could be that easy!
this time round, I was feeling a little under the weather, which made me think of her again. I found myself craving one of her comforting soups. So, over a phone call, she taught me how to make this Watercress Soup—another one of my top soups to drink when I need a pick-me-up.
upon researching further, I discovered that this soup is actually packed with benefits. Watercress is loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C, which can help boost your immune system and even aid in cancer prevention.1 with the addition of Chinese almonds (Xing Ren), the soup is also said to help clear coughs and phlegm.2 furthermore, this soup is said to have “cooling” properties, so it is great for anyone who is experiencing heatiness. how cool is that!
personally, I’ve always believe in the saying you are what you eat. Food really can provide so many health benefits—if you choose the right things. So maybe brew yourself a pot of soup sometime soon. who knows? your body just might thank you for it :)
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Watercress Soup
(serves 3-4)
2 litres of water (or 3/4 of the pot)
1 bunch of watercress
500g of pork ribs
2 red dates
3 honey dates
1/4 cup of sweet chinese almonds
1 (small) dried orange peel OR 2 slices of ginge
pinch of salt
1 tbsp of goji berries (optional)
1 luo han guo (optional)
directions
soak watercress in salted water, allow it to sit for about 5 minutes, rinse and set aside
salt pork ribs and run it under water to do a first wash. then, using hot boiling water, pour over the pork ribs to get rid of any other impurities. set aside
fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. add in the pork ribs and remove the first layer of scum. then add in all ingredients except the optional ones, and leaving the watercress last.
once boiling for about 5 minutes, turn down to medium-low heat and add in the watercress. loosely over with a lid and boil for 1-2 hours, the longer the deeper the flavour.
10 minutes before serving, crack open the luo han guo and add into the soup, together with the goji berries.
serve immediately, or allow it to cool down completely before storing it in the fridge.
if you’re looking for some dishes to pair with this soup, check out the following:
糖醋排骨 (Tang Cu Pai Gu)
Only if you could smell through the screen!! I know this looks unassuming but don’t judge it by its looks! If you have not heard or tried 糖醋排骨 (tang cu pai gu), you’re missing out. Its literal translation is Sweet Vinegar Pork Ribs. Think sweet and sour–but a deeper, more caramelised flavour–almost like coffee ribs but without the coffee.
Chicken Rice For the Soul
it’s the national dish of Singapore, but how many of us know how to cook it, really? The Pantry Boy teaches us how to make chicken rice from scratch, and even lets us in on his (now-not-so-secret-because-we’re-sharing-it-here) chili sauce recipe 🥵
Nasi Lemak Kukus
by now, you’re probably bored of seeing Chef Azfar make Nasi Lemak for the 1092839th time on our videos, but STOPPPP - we promise you it’s different this time!
Key, Alyson Powell. “Health Benefits of Watercress.” WebMD, 25 September 2024, https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-watercress
“Xing Ren.” Mei & Qi, https://www.meandqi.com/herb-database/apricot-seed. Accessed 29 September 2025.