Basic Chinese Chicken Soup Stock (Soup Base)

Ingredient Name:  Apples (Fuji)

Traditional Chinese Name:  蘋果 (píng guǒ) 

• The apple is the fruit of the apple tree
• There are 7,500 known cultivars of apples to date, each with varying characteristics such as sweetness, texture, size and usage
• The fuji apple is a popular apple due to its dense flesh that is sweeter and crisper than many apple varieties

How do I prepare it?

• Wash the apples thoroughly in cool water
• Cut the apples into quarters and remove the stem, core and seeds

Where can I buy this?

You can purchase fuji apples from any supermarket
In Hong Kong though, it may be more difficult to find fuji apples at fruit vendors depending on the season and locale

What is the cost?

• A bag of 10 fuji apples (weighing 4 pounds) costs around $3.99 CAD

Any benefits?

• Apples are a good source of fiber
• Although they don’t contain as much vitamin C as other fruits, the amounts are still very good
• They are said to help reduce the risk of colon, prostate and lung cancer

Any precautions?

• Be sure to use non-rotten apples and parts for the soup
• Cut off any bad portions and use the rest

Additional Information?

• Fuji apples have a very long shelf life for an apple.  If refrigerated, they can keep for 5-6 months

Resources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuji_apple