This Chinese Daikon Pork Rib Soup is a comforting and traditional home-style dish made with slow-simmered pork bones, sweet daikon, and a clear, nourishing broth. Simple, healthy, and perfect for the whole family.
Chinese Daikon Pork Rib Soup
I have such fond memories of my mom’s love for making soup; it was a cornerstone of our home life.
We would enjoy a homemade broth three or four times a week, each pot simmering with its own unique flavor and comfort.
Her repertoire was wonderfully diverse, ranging from the light and savory Winter Melon Soup with Pork Ribs to the earthy, textural delight of Lotus Root Soup with Peanuts.
And then there was my absolute favorite: the subtly sweet and incredibly comforting Pork Rib and Corn Soup.
Much like these classics, the Chinese Daikon and Pork Rib Soup embodies that same spirit of simplicity.
It requires just a handful of ingredients, yet the slow simmering process coaxes out a deeply wholesome and satisfying flavor that truly tastes like home.
Ingredients
Main ingredient
- 500g pork marrow bones
Secondary ingredients
- 300g white radish (1 piece, peeled and cut into chunks)
- 5g flour (1 tsp, for cleaning bones)
Seasonings
- 15g ginger (3 slices)
- 1 star anise
- 1 scallion (tied into a knot)
- 10ml cooking wine (2 tsp)
- 9g salt (1.5 tsp)
- 2g white pepper (½ tsp)
- a little chicken bouillon powder (optional)
For garnish
- 10 goji berries
- chopped scallions, to taste
Instructions
Pre-treat the ingredients
Clean the bones: Rinse the pork bones under running water. Rub them with 5g flour, let sit for 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. (Note: flour absorbs impurities and cleans more effectively than water alone.)
Prepare the radish: Peel the white radish and cut into chunks. Set aside.
Blanch the pork bones
Place the cleaned bones into a pot with enough water to cover. Add 1 tsp cooking wine, some scallion segments, and 1 slice of ginger.
Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the dark foam completely, then remove the bones and rinse with warm water. (Note: rinsing with warm water prevents the meat from tightening.)
Simmer the broth
In a clean pot, add the blanched bones, 3 slices of ginger, 1 star anise, and the scallion knot.
Pour in 1500ml water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently over low heat for 40 minutes. Keep the broth at a light simmer, not a rolling boil.
Add daikon and continue cooking
Add the radish chunks, season with 1.5 tsp salt, and stir.
Simmer on low for 20 minutes until the radish is tender and easily pierced with chopsticks. (Note: do not overcook, or the radish may become mushy.)
Season and finish
Before turning off the heat, stir in ½ tsp white pepper and a little chicken bouillon powder (optional).
Garnish with goji berries and chopped scallions. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use pork ribs instead of marrow bones?
Yes, pork ribs will also work well and give the soup more meaty bites.
Q: Can I cook this in a pressure cooker?
Absolutely. You can reduce the simmering time to about 20 minutes under pressure, but the flavor may differ slightly from slow simmering.
Q: Can I add other vegetables?
Yes, corn, carrots, or even Chinese yam are great additions to this soup.
Q: Do I need to soak the bones before cooking?
If you prefer an even cleaner broth, you can soak the bones in cold water for 30 minutes before blanching.
Nourishing Pork Bone Soup with Daikon
Ingredients
Main ingredient
- 500 g pork marrow bones
Secondary ingredients
- 300 g white radish 1 piece, peeled and cut into chunks
- 5 g flour 1 tsp, for cleaning bones
Seasonings
- 15 g ginger 3 slices
- 1 star anise
- 1 scallion tied into a knot
- 10 ml cooking wine 2 tsp
- 9 g salt 1.5 tsp
- 2 g white pepper ½ tsp
- a little chicken bouillon powder optional
For garnish
- 10 goji berries
- chopped scallions to taste
Instructions
Pre-treat the ingredients
- Clean the bones: Rinse the pork bones under running water. Rub them with 5g flour, let sit for 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. (Note: flour absorbs impurities and cleans more effectively than water alone.)
- Prepare the radish: Peel the white radish and cut into chunks. Set aside.
Blanch the pork bones
- Place the cleaned bones into a pot with enough water to cover. Add 1 tsp cooking wine, some scallion segments, and 1 slice of ginger.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the dark foam completely, then remove the bones and rinse with warm water. (Note: rinsing with warm water prevents the meat from tightening.)
Simmer the broth
- In a clean pot, add the blanched bones, 3 slices of ginger, 1 star anise, and the scallion knot.
- Pour in 1500ml water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently over low heat for 40 minutes. Keep the broth at a light simmer, not a rolling boil.
Add daikon and continue cooking
- Add the radish chunks, season with 1.5 tsp salt, and stir.
- Simmer on low for 20 minutes until the radish is tender and easily pierced with chopsticks. (Note: do not overcook, or the radish may become mushy.)
Season and finish
- Before turning off the heat, stir in ½ tsp white pepper and a little chicken bouillon powder (optional).
- Garnish with goji berries and chopped scallions. Serve hot.
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