Black Bean Soup with He Shou Wu (何首乌)

This can be drink as usual day soup.  This soup with the He Shou Wu is also a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), that known to help hair growth and darkening of grey hairs.

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup Black beans
2. 5 dried red dates
3. 1 or 2 dried black dates
4. 200 grams pork ribs
5. 2 dried scallop (干贝)
6. 4 dried oyster （蚝豉, 蚝干）
7. 1 tablespoon wolf berry (枸杞子) optional
8. 1 small piece of He Shou Wu (何首乌)
9. 2 liters water (some will dry up during cooking)
10. Salt

Method

1. This step is best done days before the cooking.  Heat up a pan without any oil, with low heat, stir fry the black beans till the skin split open. When cooled, keep in air tight container.  (you can prepare a few sets as it can keep for 2-3 months in air tight container without moisture.). I was told that the beans are used immediately to cook soup after pan frying, it is a bit “heaty”.
2. Wash all ingredients 2 to 8.  Put all ingredient including the black beans in a stock or soup pot with water, bring to boil and then turn down flame to very small and allow to slow boil for 3-4 hours.
3. Add salt to taste, and serve hot.

You can also cook this in slow cooker for 4 hours.