Ingredients
Scale
- 10 cups (about 2¼ liters) water
- ½ cup (25 g) cilantro, whole
- 2 green onions, stalks only
- 2 garlic cloves, whole
- 1½ lb of pork spine with meat or a combination of pork neck bones and pork shoulder (I use about 2–3 neck bones)
- ½ cup (4 oz) bulgur wheat
- 3–4 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
- ½ cup (75 g or 4 oz) diced carrots
- ½ cup (75 g or 4 oz) sweet peas (I use frozen)
- ½ cup (75 g or 4 oz) fava beans (you can also use lima beans, edamame or butter beans) (I use canned)
- 7 small creole potatoes or yellow potatoes, whole and unpeeled
- 4 green cabbage leaves cut into thin strips
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with the water. Add the pork bones, pork meat, cilantro, green onions and garlic. Bring it to a boil on high heat, then lower it to low-medium low and cook for about 35-45 minutes or until the meat is tender. Optional: Place the cilantro, green onion and garlic inside a cheesecloth. Tie all four corners together to make a bundle. This will make it easier to remove the cilantro, onion and garlic from the soup.
- Remove the cilantro, green onions and garlic. Add the bulgur wheat and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add the red potatoes, carrots, peas and fava beans and cook until the soup thickens which can take about 15-20 minutes. Tip: I have been adding one whole red potato grated to the soup to add thickness and it has worked really well.
- Now add the creole potatoes or yellow potatoes, the strips of cabbage and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 20 minutes, stirring often.
- Remove all pork from the pot and shred the pork meat. Serve the soup with a handful of shredded pork on top.