This soup is simple, comforting and very China.

The flavor star is Jinhua ham, one of the most famous hams in China. Only a few slices, melt into the broth, release a gentle saltiness and a savory depth that feels like you’ve cooked all day (but you haven’t).

Alongside the ham, Chinese yam— because its nutrition always appears in China’s ancient Tonic Diet recipes, offer starchy sweet and crisp mouth feeling like fresh fruit;

The last, cute cubes of tofu soak up every goodness above, and complement a lovely protein-rich bite, soft as cheese.

🥢 Basic Ingredients

• Jinhua ham, thinly sliced
• Chinese yam, cut into short sticks
• Firm tofu (brined style, cut into cubes)
• Scallions, dried chili, ginger, salt

🥢 Simple Steps

1. Prepare a pot of water. Add the ham slices, a splash of red wine or Shaoxing wine, two slices of ginger, and a pinch of salt. Boil on a medium fire.
2. Once the water is boiling, lower the heat so the ham slowly releases its flavor and turns the broth golden. Add the yam and simmer.
3. When the yam feels tender poked with chopsticks, add the tofu cubes. Simmer for a few more minutes. Scatter in scallions before serving.
4. Right before bringing it to the table, you can finish with a few drops of olive oil for a soft fragrance.

This soup requires almost no cooking skills—it’s really the ham that does all the work.

Jinhua ham is a cuisine heritage of China, just like Jamón ibérico of Spain, with is pure and simple ingredients — pork leg and salt, it lends just enough fat and saltiness to the broth during the slow simmering.