Homemade Bacon Potato Corn Chowder Soup – no flour! (budgetpantry.com)
Makes 1-2 servings

What you need:

800g potatoes (about 4 medium sized, cubed)
2 large yellow onions, chopped
8-10 tbsps corn kernals (I used frozen)
12 slices no-nitrates bacon, sliced into 1-cm pieces
1 can evaporated milk (320-330ml doesn’t matter)
1 litre water
3 tbsps concentrated chicken stock (I used Woh Hup)
1 tbsp garlic powder (or use 3 cloves minced garlic)
1 tsp salt
4-5 sprigs spring onions, divide white and green parts and slice thinly
Black pepper

Steps:

In a large pot on medium heat, cook bacon for 6-8 mins until crisped. No need to add any oil.

Once crispy remove bacon pieces and leave the grease in the pot.

Add chopped onions and white part of spring onion. Fry for 5 mins until translucent. Add minced garlic (if using this. If using garlic powder, see next step). Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the corn, potatoes, garlic powder, salt, water and concentrated chicken stock.

Bring to boil and lower heat. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender (but not super mushy), about 20 minutes. Turn off the flame.

Using a hand-held blender, blend soup until your preferred consistency. I like to leave a few pieces of potato chunks for some bite. Add the evaporated milk, bacon and green part of spring onions and stir through.

Finish with a dash of black pepper if you like. Serve with warm crusty bread!

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Tip: Can you do this without a hand held blender? Yes, if you can transfer the soup to a stand blender, it works too. Can you do this without ANY type of blender? Well yes, but you need to cook the potatoes till they’re mashed and even so, the consistently won’t be as creamy because you’ll get small onion and corn pieces. Not a problem if you don’t mind it though. Let me know how it goes!

White Radish Pork Rib Soup 白萝卜排骨汤 (budgetpantry.com)
Makes 3-4 servings

What you need:
500g pork ribs (I like to use soft bone)
300g white radish (daikon), cut into small chunks
1 Pearl corn or sweet corn, cut into chunks
1 honey date
1 whole bulb garlic, smashed, skin on
1 can braised peanuts
Salt or mushroom powder to taste
Handful of cilantro

Steps:

Prep the pork ribs: Blanch ribs in boiling water, then rinse under the tap to remove gunk.

In your slow cooker, combine all ingredients along with 3.5 litres water. Cook on auto shift for 5-6 hours. Add the braised peanuts. Add salt or mushroom powder to taste. Top with cilantro before serving.

Milky pork bone broth (or stock) for your baby (budgetpantry.com)
Serves 3-4

What you need:

500g pork ribs with some fat (I used baby spare ribs / xiao pai gu)
400g chicken bones (optional – ok to skip – or you could just use 500ml chicken stock)
1 carrot
1 large potato
2 stalks celery
8-10 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion
2 honey dates
Water to just about cover all the ingredients and more for topping up
Salt to taste (optional)

Steps:

Blanch the pork ribs and chicken bones in boiling water for five minutes and rinse under running water to get rid of gunk.

Chop the carrot, potato, celery, and onion into chunks. Rinse honey dates.

Place all the ingredients in a large pot, fill with water until the water just about covers all the ingredients. Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to a small simmer. Cook with lid on, leaving a small opening. Simmer for 3-4 hours and check periodically to top up with chicken stock (if using) or water. When done, remove the chicken bones if you have used them. Add salt to taste if desired.

For a wholesome meal, add tomato, spinach, broccoli or other greens 4-5 minutes before serving. You can have this with different pastas, noodles or rice. Freeze excess in an airtight container.

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Wintermelon pork ribs barley soup in slow cooker (budgetpantry.com)
Serves 4

What you need:

400g pork ribs
1 round block wintermelon (about 1-inch thick)
1 carrot
2 tablespoons dried scallops
3 tablespoons China barley
2 honey dates
1 sweet corn
Salt to taste

Steps:

Blanch the pork ribs in boiling water and rinse under running water to get rid of gunk.

Chop the carrot, wintermelon and sweet corn into chunks. Rinse the scallops, barley and honey dates.

Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker, fill with water and cook on low for 8-9 hours.

Add a little salt to taste. Enjoy your wholesome soup!

Creamy sweet corn soup for kids (budgetpantry.com)
Serves 4

What you need:

1 sweet corn, sectioned
6 stalks celery, chopped into small chunks
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 litres water
Sprinkle of garlic powder
1 egg, beaten (optional)
Salt to taste (optional)
Black pepper (optional))

Steps:

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and fill with water. Bring to boil and then simmer for one hour, covered slightly until stock is done. Add a bit more water during the cooking process if needed.

Switch off the flame. Fish out the corn and allow to cool. Break the corn kernels apart with your fingers and add back into the soup (reserve a few kernels as toppings). Purée with a handheld blender till smooth.

Turn on the flame again on low heat and add the beaten egg if using. Swirl with a fork or whisk until cooked. Add the salt and black pepper for adults. Garnish with corn kernels before serving.

Tip: Serve over pasta, noodles or rice for kids!