Aloe vera is often used to make dessert and beverages to cool the body, but few people think of using it to make soup. So let’s go to the kitchen so TasteVN can reveal to you 2 ways to make aloe vera soup with ribs and aloe vera soup with shrimp that are unique, appealing, and delicious!
1. Aloe Vera Soup with Ribs
Preparation
35 minutes
Cooking
55 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Aloe Vera Soup with Ribs Serves 3 people
Pork ribs 200 gr Aloe vera 50 gr (1 large leaf) Whole mung beans 50 gr Goji berries 10 gr Spring onions 2 stalks Cilantro 2 sprigs Seasoning powder 2 teaspoons Sugar 1 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 1/2 tablespoon
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose good pork ribs
You should choose ribs that have small, flat bones, or with some cartilage depending on your preference. Additionally, the color of the ribs should look fresh, with a light pink color, good elasticity, and no signs of sliminess or unpleasant odors.
How to choose good mung beans
Choose mung beans that are still in their bright green shells, plump, and uniform in size. At the same time, there should be no signs of moisture or pests, and they should not be shriveled.
How to make Aloe Vera Soup with Ribs
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Prepare the pork ribs
You can ask the seller to cut the ribs into bite-sized pieces, then wash them briefly with diluted salt water and clean water, and let them drain before cooking.
Tip: You should wash the ribs thoroughly with diluted salt water and can blanch them in boiling water. This method removes the unpleasant smell of the meat and helps keep the soup clear.
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Prepare the aloe vera
Use a knife to peel the aloe vera, then cut it into cubes about 1.5 – 2cm. After that, wash the aloe vera with diluted salt water and rinse it with clean water, and let it drain.
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Prepare other ingredients
Soak mung beans for about 4 hours and soak goji berries until they are soft, then drain. For the green onions and cilantro, chop them finely, and also mince some green onion tops to marinate with the pork ribs.
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Marinate the ribs
Add the pork ribs to a bowl along with the minced green onion tops and 1 teaspoon of seasoning, mix well and marinate for about 10 minutes.
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Sauté the ribs
Place a pot on the stove, add about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to sauté the pork ribs over medium heat, and stir-fry until the ribs are firm.
Tip: You should sauté the pork ribs until they are greasy, which will help the ribs become fragrant, sweet, and absorb the flavors better.
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Stew ribs and mung beans
Add 1.5 liters of water and soaked mung beans into the pot (where the ribs are being stir-fried), then turn up the heat.
Cook until the water boils, then reduce the heat and continue seasoning with: 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, stir well, and cook for about 40 minutes.
Note: During the stewing of the ribs and mung beans, you should skim the foam to keep the water clear.
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Cook the soup
Add all the prepared aloe vera into the pot of rib broth and add 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce, stir well and turn off the heat.
Scoop the aloe vera rib soup into a bowl and sprinkle with goji berries, green onions, and a little pepper. That’s it!
Note: Do not cook the soup for too long after adding the aloe vera to avoid it becoming too soft and losing its taste.
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Finished Product
The aloe vera soup cooked with ribs has an enticing aroma from the broth, especially the sweet, tender taste of the baby ribs blended with the creamy flavor of mung beans, the crunchy texture of aloe vera, and a hint of sourness from goji berries. This soup is sure to provide you with a delightful eating experience throughout the meal.
2. Aloe Vera Soup with Shrimp
Preparation
40 minutes
Cooking
35 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Aloe Vera Soup with Shrimp Serves 3
Fresh shrimp 200 gr Aloe vera 1 kg Green onions 3 stalks Large red onion 2 bulbs Seasoning powder 1 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Pepper 1/2 teaspoon Sugar 1/2 teaspoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons
How to choose delicious shrimp
- Prioritize selecting live shrimp that are swimming for sweeter and firmer meat.
- Observe that the shrimp’s head is still firmly attached to the body, with no dark bruises appearing.
- The shrimp shell is shiny and the joints are still flexible.
- The shrimp meat is firm, elastic and not mushy, watery, or excessively smelly.
See more: How to choose fresh shrimp and how to store fresh shrimp in the refrigerator for a long time
How to make Aloe Vera Soup with Shrimp
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Prepare the ingredients
Wash the shrimp briefly with water, then remove the head, peel the shell, and devein the shrimp by making a cut along the back of the shrimp.
At the same time, peel the shallots, crush and finely chop them. Clean the green onions and chop them small.
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Marinate the shrimp
Put the shrimp (after preparation) in a bowl, then marinate with half of the chopped shallots, 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, mix well, and let it soak in the seasoning for about 15 minutes.
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Prepare the aloe vera
You cut the aloe vera leaf into pieces about 10cm long and then proceed to peel the skin. After that, wash the aloe vera with clean water.
Next, you use a knife to cut the aloe vera into bite-sized strips, not too thin or too thick. Finally, you season it with a little salt and rinse it with water, then let it drain.
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Sauté the shrimp
Place a pot on the stove, turn on medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to sauté the remaining shallots until fragrant. Then, add all the shrimp (already seasoned) into the pot, stir-frying until the shrimp meat firms up.
Tip: When sautéing the shrimp, turn the heat up higher so the shrimp cooks quickly and doesn’t release too much water. -
Cooking soup
You continue to add 2 cups of water into the pot with the shrimp, cover it and bring to a boil. At this point, skim off the foam on the surface and add all the aloe vera, then season to your taste. Boil once more, sprinkle with green onions and a little pepper, then turn off the heat.
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Finished product
Aloe vera soup with shrimp has an irresistible aroma, with the chewy sweetness of the shrimp combined with the crunchy texture of the aloe vera. The broth is very rich, whether eaten alone or poured over rice, you can feel the delicious sweetness.
How to choose good aloe vera
- It is best to choose larger aloe vera leaves so that after peeling, there will still be more flesh inside compared to smaller leaves.
- The outer skin of the aloe vera should be bright green, free of scratches or insect intrusions.
- The thorns on both sides of the leaf should still be fresh, not dried out.
See more:
Thus, TasteVN has finished guiding you on 2 ways to make aloe vera soup with ribs and shrimp that are unique, appealing, and delicious! Wishing you success.
*Compiled and referenced information from the Youtube channel: Delicious dishes every day and Cooking by season.
