To congratulate Naomi on the birth of gorgeous baby Koben, I wanted to make this traditional Chinese postnatal soup with the help of my mother-in-law Kim. It’s packed full of protein and warming food properties that are so good for a mother’s milk, energy and blood. It will help her to recover and replenish her reserves for the sleepless nights ahead.
This restorative ginger and vinegar soup is also said to keep the “wind” away as it is so warming and clearing with all the ginger. Wind is seen in Chinese medicine as carrying viruses and bacteria, which can cause harm to new mothers. Wind is also thought to cause moving pains in the body such as arthritis, which this soup helps to ward off.
Traditionally, the mum takes the soup daily starting from one week after she gives birth after everything has settled down.
Ginger Vinegar Soup for Postnatal Care
Ingredients:
6 organic free-range eggs
1 free-range ham hock, cut up
1/2 kg organic ginger
1 600ml bottle of sweetened vinegar sauce
Method
- Boil up the eggs until they are hard boiled.
- Boil up the ham in water till just boiling then tip the water out – this cleans the meat.
- Cut off all the hard skin from the ginger leaving some of the younger fresher skin on. Wash thoroughly.
- Cut ginger in half and smash it with the side of a cleaver so the flavour and nutrients can come out.
- Dry fry (no oil) the ginger in a wok for a few minutes until it looks dry.
- Add the ginger to the pot with the ham.
- Empty the vinegar bottle into the pot.
- Add 100ml of water.
- Bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer for 1 hour.
- After it’s finished you add the eggs.
Traditionally, Chinese people make 3–4 times this amount of soup. The distinctive aroma coming from your home means that everyone close by will know you have a newborn baby. The family who make the soup give some to their friends, family and neighbours as well as to the new mum. Then everyone gives the mum and baby a laisee, which is a little red envelope with money in it for good luck.
We have more recipes and wisdom to share for prenatal and postnatal health, and for looking after your family with natural remedies. Check out our online course for mothers, The A-Z of Home Remedies for Children’s Health.