Hearty Cucumber Pork and Squid Soup

Welcome to a recipe that might just become your new favorite comfort food! If you’re looking for a dish that is deeply savory, incredibly easy to make, and offers a unique and satisfying flavor profile, you have come to the right place. This soup, a beautiful marriage of land and sea, is a homestyle classic that takes about an hour from start to finish. Don’t let the simple ingredient list fool you; the magic happens when the refreshing cucumber, rich pork, and umami-packed dried squid simmer together, creating a broth that is both light and profoundly flavorful. It’s the perfect one-pot meal for a cozy weeknight, requiring minimal effort for a truly impressive and nourishing result. Before we start cooking, let’s gather our ingredients. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity, so you won’t need a long shopping list. For a pot serving 3-4 people, you will need: Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt): About 1/2 pound (or 225g). You can buy pre-ground pork to save time, but mincing a piece of pork shoulder yourself often yields a better texture. Dried Squid: About 1 ounce (or 25-30g) of a medium-sized dried squid. You can find this in most Asian supermarkets. It’s the secret ingredient that gives the soup its incredible depth and savory, oceanic flavor. If you can’t find dried squid, a handful of dried shrimp or even a small piece of kombu (dried kelp) can provide a similar umami boost, though the texture will be different. Cucumber: One large English or seedless cucumber. These varieties have thinner skin and fewer seeds, making them ideal for cooking as they become wonderfully tender. Peanut Oil: 1 tablespoon. If you have a peanut allergy or don’t have it on hand, any neutral cooking oil like canola, vegetable, or grapeseed oil will work perfectly….