Ginger Vinegar Soup

Just spent 3 hours peeling 10lbs of ginger, so that I can start making the ginger soup tonight. It is customary in the Chinese culture to have this soup after pregnancy. Ginger is the main ingredient and it helps the new mother recover and gain strength.

We bought this big clay pot, 2 huge bottles of vinegar and 10lbs of ginger. In a few more weeks, we'll need to add in pigs feet and eggs as well. My aunt gave me this recipe to make it (I'm putting it down in case I ever forget how to make this):

Ingredients:
- 2 large bottles of: 8 real sweet vinegar (bat jun teem choe), HK made (not China made)
- 10lb ginger
- pigs feet
- eggs

Method:
1) peel the ginger (keep ginger skin for later)
2) cut ginger into small pieces and smash it flat with large knife
3) pop peeled ginger in oil and fry lightly
4) put popped ginger into the large clay pot and add vinegar
5) slow cook vinegar at minimum heat (2-3 high) for 3 hours until a boil then turn off
6) cook once a week
7) As you get closer to the due date, boil more often like twice a week

After you give birth:
1) boil pigs feet and rinse in cold water, let all blood drain out (chut sui). Add pigs feet to vinegar and soak
2) boil eggs and peel shell. Add peeled eggs to vinegar before you serve. If eggs are soaking in vinegar more than 3 days, eggs become very hard.

For the ginger skin, let it air dry and store away until after birth. You will use the ginger skin to boil water so that you can take bath and wash your hair. You can only use ginger water to cleanse yourself for the one month after giving birth.