Last Updated on January 25, 2021 by Simon Fan
Pig’s trotters, the culinary term for pig’s feet, are adored in many cuisines, including Southern cooking in the US. It’s easy to understand why—after a long simmer, they release gelatin to the cooking liquid, enhancing the body of a stock or adding richness to a stew or soup.
The most important element of cooking pig’s trotters is time, as slow cooking is the best way to unlock the flavors from those humble parts and put them on a culinary pedestal.
The dish I’m sharing with you here is a rich and delicious soup made with pig’s trotters and dried soybeans, one of my favorite winter soups. During cold weather, this soup is consumed by millions of Chinese families to stay warm and nourished.
Dried soybeans are rich in dietary protein and fiber and can be cooked very much the same way as other dried beans or lentils. In this dish, after simmered together with the pig’s trotters, the soybeans turn soft and creamy and impart a distinctive aroma and rich umami to the soup.
You can turn the soup into a one-pot meal by adding leafy greens toward the end of cooking. Kale, mustard green, spinach, and cabbage are some of the good options to consider.
If you’re short on time, make the soup with a pressure cooker, which cuts the cooking time to under an hour.
Pig’s trotter and soybean soup
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 lb (900 g) pig’s trotters, each split in half lengthwise and cut into small chunks by your butcher
4 oz (115 g) dried soybeans, soaked in cold water for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight
4 cups (950 ml) water
1 whole star anise
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, crushed
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 cup leafy greens, such as Brussels Sprout leaves (optional)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Soy sauce, for dipping
Directions
- In a pot, add the trotters and enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and blanch for 2 minutes. Transfer the trotters to a colander and rinse under cold water to remove any scum.
- In a large pot, add the trotters, soybeans, water, star anise, ginger, and wine. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook, skimming off surface scum from time to time, until the trotters are very tender and the beans are tender and creamy, about 2½ hours.
- Add the leafy greens and cook briefly until crisp-tender.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour some soy sauce into a sauce dish and serve as a dipping sauce for the trotters.
