Luffa Gourd (丝瓜) With Zhu Sheng (竹笙)

Source: Good Food Fun Cook 餐餐宝, 餐餐好 Episode 2

Serves ~8 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:
Ridged luffa gourd or Si Gua (丝瓜), ~8 units
Dictyophora indusiata (Vent. ex Pers.) Desv or Zhu Sheng (竹笙, can get from Chinese medicinal hall)
Garlic, keep as whole but remove skin, ~5 bulbs
Minced pork meat
Cooking oil, for use in deep frying



Method:
1. Soak dry Zhu Sheng in water for minimum 1 hr till it expands and softens.

2. Prepare luffa gourd or Si Gua.  Remove skin, cut into strips and remove seeds.

3. Prepare garlic.  Remove skin and deep fry in whole for 10 mins till golden brown.

4. Parboil prepared Si Gua in boiling water for <1 min, without any seasonings.  Set aside for later use.

5. Prepare minced meat.  Pour some hot water into minced meat, mix well to ensure all bits are separated and partially cooked.  Then transfer all into saucepan of boiling water to thoroughly cook them.  This is to prevent formation of big lumps of meat balls if raw meat is added straight into the boiling water.

6. To boiling water in a claypot, add parboiled luffa gourd, Zhu Sheng and fried garlic.  Simmer for 2 mins when aroma of the garlic can be detected.  Then add minced meat (at amount to own liking).  When soup boil, add egg white and cover for 5 secs. Turn off fire.

Serving: