Lotus Roots Peanut Soup

To prepare the bones, bring about 2 cups of water to a boil in a pot. Put the bones in a heat proof bowl. Pour the boiling water over the bones. Let the bones sit in the boiling water for 2 minutes then drain.

Place all the ingredients, except for the peanuts, into a slow cooker or soup pot.

Set slow cooker on low and cook for 8 hours. If cooking on stove top, bring to a boil then lower down to a simmer and cook for 1 hours.

See note (**) below. While soup gets on with boiling, fill a small saucepan with water and add peanuts in. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the blanched peanuts and add them into the simmering soup right away.

Soup is ready after around 8 hours when peanuts are tender and meat on the pork is soft.

* Substitutable with 1 piece dried cuttlefish or just 2 tablespoons fish sauce (adjust salt amount or totally remove to taste).

** Boiling the peanuts is an optional step though I prefer this to remove any potential stale smell from the peanuts as well as the red colour of the skins. If you don’t mind these factors, then just add them straight into the pot with the other ingredients at the start of the process.