Ham Choy Up Soup (HCUS) - Pickled Mustard Green & Duck Soup

Ham Choy Up Soup (HCUS) is the bomb with my family when I was growing up and even  now in my old age, it is still one of my favourite soups to boil at home.

Ham Choy substitute in a mini can!!!

Obviously, Becky has been brought up on this soup too, so its one of her favourites and since moving out after being married, she tends to request for this soup when she visits for a taste of mummy's cooking!!! Yesssss, she is coming tonight and the soup is on the stove simmering away as I blog now whilst it is fresh in my mind.

The brand that I have normally been buying over the past 30 years, Wu Chun is now obsolete and it is not just the pickled mustard green that is a discontinued line, but I have been told by my Grocer's that the entire brand itself is not being imported into Australia ... fullstop!!!

Luckily for me Sharon recommended an alternative product.  This one is just as good but is manufactured in Thailand .  The cans are tiny so, I have to use 5 cans instead of 1 and so be it!!!  So happy now this humble "festive" soup will still be able to be served on my dining table.

I say "festive" soup because, my mother will have 12 dishes including this HCUS prepared for the Reunion Dinner for Chinese New Year celebrations or for other festivals throughout the year and she alternates this HCUS with the abalone soup.  Abalone soup is yummy too but its such an expensive soup as the ingredient itself is pricey and taste wise, personally I still prefer the HCU soup.

HCUSoup simmering ....

The best way I can describe HCUS is that it is a more "stereo" type soup - like listening to music it is better on stereo surround sound system!!! The HCUS is so moreish and has a slight tang to it as the veg has been pickled, and Becky is just happy to eat her rice mixed in this soup when she was a toddler!!!

Chinese soups are mostly clear base - stock from various meats, but in the HCU soup, as the name suggests itself, duck is normally used but for ordinary days, I normally use chicken or pork ribs, but today is it maryland chicken.

In the HCUS, there is spanish onions, tomatoes, whatever meat you prefer, "ham choy" or pickled mustard green, and after boiling/simmering for about 2-3 hours on low fire, when it is ready to be served, I also some times add in some soft white bean curd aka tau foo to give it a bit more "body"!!!

Fish Sauce

I never use salt in my soups - must be a "mom thing" as my mom uses fish sauce for most water based cooking especially soups, and I just picked up her habits.  I guess you could say in some quirky ways, I am trying to keep up with her traditions.  Soup does taste very different when salt is used instead of fish sauce.  Give it a go and see which you prefer!!!
Soup and 3 dishes (meat, vegetable and fish) is normally served dinner time in my parents home and until today, I still try to do the same for the Choong family when I am cooking a chinese meal at home!!!