Jade: Bitemymooli

I found out about a month ago that daikon/ white carrot as I used to call it, is also known as mooli. I was in ASDA when I saw it, and I bought it just because~ it was a daikon in ASDA! Took it to the till, and the cashier went: "So what are you going to do with the mooli?" Me: "How dare you! Mind out of the gutter please"....no what I really did was burst into fits of giggles..I know..not my finest moment..but she said mooli..hehehe...in retrospect it's not even that funny..bah..

Anyhoo, 5 days worth of lectures reminding us that getting hit on the job is always a possibility, one oversexed 89-year old and one alcoholic later, all I want to do is kick off my *flats, curl up in my chair...and maybe take dainty sips from a bowl of steaming hot soup.

*Yes, I said flats. Heels are the usual preference. But in the interest of practicality: patient who starts an enthusiastic chase with the sole purpose of humping someone's leg vs me tottering around in 3'' heels = very bad joke, flats it is.

Slow-boiled daikon soup

1 daikon, peeled and cut into chunks..it really shouldn't matter what the chunks look like..but I suspect I have a slight obsession with sameness because I found myself trying to make my carrot chunks look like my mum's. And the way she did it was almost like paring a pencil, so you end up with nice fat wedges...I dunno...they seem to taste better that way..to me anyway

500g pork ribs, beef ribs or chicken on the bone

Small handful goji berries [optional]

1. As with all the other soups, simmer the ribs with the goji berries and enough water to come up to the level of the handles.

2. Skim off the scum once the soup comes to a gentle boil, so around half an hour. Mars thinks this step doesn't make a difference, but I'm a firm believer in clear soups..so skim!

3. Add the daikon chunks and let it simmer gently for about 2 hours.

4. Add a bit of salt to taste and enjoy the toasty comfort that is clear, sweet broth :)

This soup is brilliant in its simplicity. There is no need for any fancy dates, or herbs... all that does is distract you from the natural sweetness of the daikon. What you want is to fully appreciate the depth of flavour that comes from hours of gentle stewing....pure, unadulterated daikon-y joy.