Basic Chinese Chicken Soup Stock (Soup Base)

Ingredient Name: Pig stomach, hog maw, pig maw

Traditional Chinese Name:豬肚 (Zhū dù)

What is this?

• Literally the stomach of a pig
• It is usually the inner lining/muscle of the stomach and if properly cleaned, contains no fat
• It can be found in Chinese, Mexican, Italian and various other cuisines
• It has a chewy property when cooked and usually absorbs the flavor of ingredients surrounding it
• A pretty common soup meat in Chinese soups

How do I prepare it?

• Rinse in warm water prior to use
• In soups, it is recommended to blanch the stomach before adding to soup

Where can I buy this?

This is available in all wet marts in Hong Kong (although thorough cleaning is recommended)
You can sometimes buy this as prepackaged and pre-cut from Asian supermarkets

What is the cost

• 200 g (as picture above) cost around $20 HKD

Any benefits?

• Relatively lean portion of the pork (when properly cleaned) that contains minimal fat
• Pork contains many nutrients (including 6 essential vitamins)
• It is a good source of iron, zinc, Vitamin B6 and protein
• It is said to be a healthier red meat substitute over beef

Any precautions?

• Thoroughly cleaning recommended prior to use (blanching for soups)

References:

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