• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
  • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Copyright
  • Contact
  • Malaysian Chinese Kitchen
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
Malaysian Chinese Kitchen

Malaysian Chinese Kitchen

Food • Culture • Stories

  • Video Recipes
  • Recipe Index
    • Courses
      • Appetizer & Snack
      • Breakfast & Brunch
      • Main Dish
      • Side Dish
      • Soup
      • Salad
      • Dessert
        • Cakes
        • Cookies
        • Jellies
        • Sweet Snacks
        • Sweet Soups
      • Dips & Sauces
      • Pickles
    • Cuisine
      • Chinese
      • Nyonya
      • Malay
      • Indian
      • Others
    • Main Ingredient
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Fish
      • Shrimp
      • Shellfish
      • Eggs & Tofu
      • Rice
      • Noodles
      • Vegetables
    • Holiday & Festival
      • Chinese New Year
      • Mooncake Festival
  • Tutorial
    • How to Cook Rice on the Stove Top
    • How to Steam Food
    • How to Mince Meat Using a Cleaver
    • How to Cut a Pineapple
    • How to Season a New Wok
  • Journal
    • Culture
    • Stories
    • Glossary
  • Ingredients
    • Beans and Seeds
    • Dips and Sauces
    • Dried Fruits
    • Dried Seafood
    • Eggs and Tofu
    • Herbs and Spices
    • Melons and Tubers
    • Noodles
    • Vegetables
  • Delicious and nutritious Chan Choy Tong (Malabar Spinach Soup).
    Chan Choy Tong (Malabar Spinach Soup)

    Chan Choy Tong (Malabar Spinach Soup) with salted duck egg for another layer of flavor.…

  • Winter Melon Soup (Tong Kua Tong) is a soothing and nutritious soup with cooling properties. Perfect on a warm day but just as comforting on a cool day. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com
    Winter Melon Soup (Tung Kua Tong)

    Winter Melon Soup (Tong Kua Tong) is a soothing and nutritious soup with cooling properties.…

  • This clear peppery White Radish Soup with beef broth is soothing accompaniment to any rice meal. Also delicious served with thick rice noodles. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com
    White Radish Soup

    This clear peppery White Radish Soup with beef broth is soothing accompaniment to any rice…

  • Lou Wong Kua Tong (Mature Cucumber Soup) - an easy to prepare nutritious soup. It is clear, soothing, and a perfect accompaniment to your rice meal. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com
    Lou Wong Kua Tong (Mature Cucumber Soup)

    Lou Wong Kua Tong (Mature Cucumber Soup) - an easy to prepare nutritious soup. It…

  • Comforting and tasty Leng Ngau Tong (Lotus Root Soup).
    Leng Ngau Tong (Lotus Root Soup)

    Slow simmered Leng Ngau Tong (Lotus Root Soup) flavored with broiled cuttlefish. A comforting soup…

Home / Cuisine / Chinese / Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup)

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup)

By: 👩‍🦳 Linda · Published: 🖨 June 2, 2017 · Updated: 💻February 15, 2019 · 🗨 2 Comments

Recipe ▼

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is a slow boil, clear, and nourishing soup. It is very popular among the Malaysian Chinese.

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is a slow boil, clear, and nourishing soup. It is very popular among the Malaysian Chinese. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com

Slow boiled and nourishing Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is very, very popular among the Malaysian Chinese. It is a very easy soup to prepare using only 3 ingredients (not counting water) – watercress, red dates/jujubes, and pork ribs. Chicken may be used in place of pork. This tasty and soothing soup is often prepared as a remedy for coughs and colds.

Sai Yong Choy (Watercress)

In Malaysia, the Sai Yong Choy is of a larger species. The stems are longer and thicker. Over here, they are sold in tiny bunches, all nicely trimmed. One bunch is approximately 8 ounces (225g) in weight and is sufficient to make a pot of soup for 4 persons. You can use 2 bunches for a more concentrated flavor.

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is a slow boil, clear, and nourishing soup. It is very popular among the Malaysian Chinese. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com

Raw watercress is bright green in color with crunchy stems and a slight peppery taste. After boiling, they become very soft and turn an olive green color. By then, all their goodness would have been transferred to the soup and the vegetable may be eaten or discarded. Most people would serve some of it together with the soup. Simply add the rinsed goji berries to the soup 5 minutes before turning off the stove.

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is a slow boil, clear, and nourishing soup. It is very popular among the Malaysian Chinese. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com

I have seen some families adding a little goji/wolf berries to the soup. We do not usually do that in our family but you are certainly welcomed to do so if you like.

Similar Tools Used in Making This Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup)

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.

Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Stockpot with Cover, 6-Quart
Cuisipro Stainless Steel Measuring Cup and Spoon Set
Winco UT-9 Coiled Spring Heavyweight Stainless Steel Utility Tong, 9-Inch
Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Skimmer for Skimming Grease and Foam

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is a slow boil, clear, and nourishing soup. It is very popular among the Malaysian Chinese. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com
Print Pin Rate
5 from 1 vote

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup)

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is a slow boil, clear, and nourishing soup. It is very popular among the Malaysian Chinese.
Author : Linda Ooi
Course : Soup
Cuisine : Chinese
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 110kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 bunch sai yong choy / watercress, trimmed and washed (½ lb / 225g)
  • 1 lb pork neck bones or pork ribs (450g)
  • 12 red dates / jujubes rinsed and soaked for 15 minutes

Instructions
 

  • Fill a large pot half full of water. Bring to a boil. Add pork neck bones or ribs. Allow it to blanch for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with thongs and rinse in cold water.
  • Discard water in pot and fill with 10 cups (2.4 liters) of fresh water. Bring to a boil.
  • Add blanched neck bones (ribs), red dates, and watercress. Bring water back up to a boil. Reduce heat to low and allow soup to simmer for 1½ to 2 hours. Skim off any scum appearing on the surface.
  • Season with salt to taste and turn off heat.
  • Serve warm in individual bowls.

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @MalaysianChineseKitchen or tag #MalaysianChineseKitchen

A Soothing and Comforting Soup

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is a home style soup seldom offered at the restaurants. It is very a light, soothing, and comforting soup. If you have never tasted it, I urge you to give it a try.

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is a slow boil, clear, and nourishing soup. It is very popular among the Malaysian Chinese. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com

Sai Yong Choy Tong (Watercress Soup) is a slow boil, clear, and nourishing soup. It is very popular among the Malaysian Chinese. | MalaysianChineseKitchen.com
1.0Kshares

Categories: 🗂 Chinese, Soup, Vegetables Tags: 📋 watercress

About Linda

Linda is a food writer and photographer who hails from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She now lives in Colorado, USA. Her other blogs are Roti n Rice and Tea Tattler.

Malaysian Chinese Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Previous Post: « Delicious Eats on the Go and IFBC 2017
Next Post: Market Day »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Elaine says

    December 15, 2017 at 4:06 am

    Hi Linda,
    I have tried your watercress soup recipe but my turnout taste a little bit bitter .

    Reply
  2. Winston Chan says

    April 10, 2019 at 8:12 am

    5 stars
    Love this soup and used to drink this when young staying in my hometown Singapore.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

Linda and Paul

Linda and Paul inviting you to discover the world of Malaysian Chinese cuisine.
Read about us here →
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Malaysian Chinese Kitchen

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Copyright

© 2015–2021 · Malaysian Chinese Kitchen · All Rights Reserved