A bellyful of warmth

China is divided into as many culinary regions as there are different ethnic groups. Its geographical diversity and kaleidoscopic cultural profiles contribute to the unending banquet of flavors. Pauline D Loh reports.

Soup in Chinese cuisine is a major category on the menu and ranges from the lightest consomme to hearty rich broths that are thick with meat and vegetables.

Of course, no one places more emphasis on soups than the Cantonese, so I will tap into that aspect of my culinary heritage for the classic recipes.

The wok is an important piece of equipment in every Chinese kitchen, but in the Cantonese home, another item holds equal importance: the soup pot.

Normally made of earthenware for its heat-conducting properties, this should be a tall pot with a raised lip that closely cradles the tight-fitting lid.

It should comfortably hold at least four liters of liquid so the soup can slowly reduce. The raised lip helps to keep the lid from rattling and holds in the air pressure that builds up in the long, slow brewing.

Sometimes, more than one soup pot are found in the same kitchen, with a smaller one reserved for a different kind of brew－the medicinal soups so beloved by the Cantonese matriarch.