(THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Sweet treats are often reserved for sweet moments of Chap Goh Meh. Serve these delightful soups for your family or guests on this blissful day.

THE PRETTY PINK LADY

INGREDIENTS
30g dried roselle calyx (luo shen hua), rinsed
1.5 litres water
150g honey rock sugar
5g dried hawthorn fruit, rinsed
150g lotus roots, sliced
6 big organic red dates
2 honey dates (mat choe)

METHOD
1. Place roselle calyx, water, sugar and dried hawthorn fruit in a stock pot. Cook to a boil for 15 minutes.
2. Dish out the roselle calyx and hawthorn fruit from the stock and add lotus roots. Boil until lotus roots are just tender to the bite.
3. Serve this refreshing drink with ice cubes or have it warm.

REFRESHING WHITE GINSENG DELIGHT

INGREDIENTS
1.5 litres water
50g white ginseng (pak pau som)
15g yuk chuk
10g bitter apricot almonds
10g sweet apricot almonds
130g honey rock sugar
120g fresh huai shan, cut into desired shapes

METHOD
1. Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add all the ingredients except fresh huai shan.
2. Double-boil for 1½ to 2 hours. In the last 30 minutes, add huai shan and continue to double-boil till the end of cooking time.
3. Dish out and serve the dessert soup warm.

HEALTHY HERBAL SWEET SOUP

INGREDIENTS
40g pak hup (dried lily bulbs)
125g rock sugar
20g sar som (Chinese ginseng roots)
1.5 litres water
6 big organic red dates
1 piece kat paeng (candied mandarin peel)

METHOD
1. Soak dried lily bulbs in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain and put into a small bowl. Add 50g rock sugar and 20ml water and steam for 20 minutes.
2. Put Chinese ginseng roots in a pot with 1.5 litres of water. Cook at a boil for 30 minutes.
3. Add red dates, candied mandarin peel and the remaining rock sugar. Continue to cook for 20 minutes until the flavour of the soup is enhanced.
4. Add the prepared dried lily bulbs into the soup and serve hot.