自從搬到澳洲，間中都會買紅菜頭食，因為真係又靚又抵食，圓圓大大整棵都食得，莖葉都好新鮮，一束約5大個都只係AUD2.5-4。有朋友問我怎樣吃紅菜頭，通常我會趁新鮮先吃葉，好似平時咁炒菜或烚菜；之後食莖部，切粒用來煲雜菜湯或者煮湯通粉，不會好硬湯又甜；到最後根部即是我們說的紅菜頭或甜菜根，可以用來榨果汁、整沙律、切片或切粒焗、又或者煲中湯或西湯都非常合適。今次先示範用來煲中湯。
紅菜頭營養豐富，千其唔好俾佢紅紅的果汁嚇怕，其實越多天然色素的蔬果營養越豐富的。
食譜（3-4人份 )
材料
紅菜頭 2-3個（約500-600克 )
甘荀 1條（約150-200克 )
豬展 150-200克（可用豬肉／排骨／豬骨代替，骨類重量多一點）
薑 兩片
蜜棗 1粒
水 1500毫升
做法
1. 先把紅菜頭及甘荀去皮洗淨後切大粒備用，切紅菜頭時汁液會把手染成紅色，之後用暖水清洗便可，小心不要令汁液濺到衣服上。
2. 豬展洗淨，如太大塊可切成兩塊。預備一個小鍋，放入豬展及薑片加水至蓋過肉面，開中火煲熱。
3. 水滾後便熄火把熱水倒去，豬展用凍水降溫隔水備用。
4. 預備湯煲，加入1500毫升水中火煮熱，水滾後加入豬展及蜜棗，再煲至水滾後煲15分鐘。
5. 之後再加入紅菜頭及甘荀，水滾後轉小火煲1.5-2小時便可。如果用鑄鐵鍋，可煲半小時，之後熄火，45分鐘後再開中小火煲15-30分鐘便可，可自行加少許鹽調味。
小貼士
- 紅菜頭湯，如煲久一點，湯會變成淺啡色（像蓮藕湯顏色）
- 不想要肉湯可將豬肉改成100克腰果，跟紅菜頭甘荀一齊煲便可。
ENGLISH RECIPE (SERVE 3-4)
Pork Soup with Red beet & Carrot
Ingredients
Red beets 2-3 pc (~ 500-600g)
Carrots 1 pc (~ 150-200g)
Pork Muscle 150-200g (Can be replaced by Pork Rib / Fillet)
Ginger slice 2 slices
Dates 1 pc
Water 1500 ml
Steps
- Cut the carrot and red beets into big dices. The juice from red beet may colored your hands, you can clean that by warm water. Be aware the juice colored your clothes.
- Wash the pork muscles. Put the pork muscle and ginger slices in a small pot, pour water until it covers the pork. Boil the pork and water in medium heat.
- Switch off the stove once the water boiled. Wash the pork muscle in cold water.
- Prepare a stock pot and pouring 1500ml water. Boil the water with medium heat. Adding the pork muscle and dates, boil it for 15 minutes.
- Adding red beets and carrot, turn the heat to low heat once the water is boiling again. Keep boiling it for another 1.5 - 2 hour and it is ready to serve. Adding pinch of salt for seasoning. If you are using cast iron pot, you may just boiling it 30 mins and rest it for 30 mins first, and boil the soup for another 30-45 mins.
Tips
- Soup colour will change from red to light brown if boiling it for longer time.
- To make a veggie soup, replace pork by 100g cashew and boil it together with red beet and carrot.
