Homemade Sour Plum Soup

Homemade Sour Plum Soup

During the Qi Dynasty, there was an old man selling sour plum soup outside the Harder’s door. He often used two small copper bowls to make a sound.  The sound attracted people's attention,  and selling while walking. The sour plum soup was a good summer beverage. In the Qing Dynasty, it was improved by the Royal Kitchen to be one of the popular Loyal beverages.  It was named specially as "Shigongmeijian". This had medicinal functions, such as cleaning heat, cooling, calming mind, alleviating heart pain, dispersing phlegm, stopping coughing, avoiding plagues, creating liquid and stopping thirsty. It was specially named "Qi Palace precious loyalty-made Plum Soup”. Because of its special functions, it became popular in public. Later on, it was later introduced to the folk; therefore, it became very popular. It could be seem everywhere, such as small venders in the streets or at the doorways of dried food stores.

Ingredients:

Ume (Chinese dried black plums) 25 g

Hawthorn berries 15g

Licorice slices 5 g

Water 2 liters

Crystal sugar 100g

 

自制酸梅汤 
 以前在哈德门外有老人，常常手拿冰盏(两个小铜碗)弄出声响吸引人们注意，边走边卖。酸梅汤古来即为上好的夏日饮品。清代经御膳房改进成为宫廷御用饮品，所谓“士贡梅煎”即是。因其除热送凉，安心痛，祛痰止咳，辟疫，生津止渴的功效，被誉为“清宫异宝御制乌梅汤”，后来传入民间，于是大街小巷，干鲜果铺的门口，随处可见卖酸梅汤的摊贩。

 

用料  
乌梅  25克 
山楂  15克 
甘草  5克 
        水  2升              
冰糖  100克