Soup Name: Snow Pears and Apples in Chicken Broth
Traditional Chinese Name:蘋果雪梨雞湯 (píng guǒ xuě lí jī tāng)
Introduction:
This naturally sweet soup is great in lowering “heatiness” in the body. It’s not overly cooling, but does help soothe sore throats, sun stroke (& dehydration), and cool down that fiery feeling in your body when you eat too many fried and spicy foods. It’s great for kids, is super easy to make and the ingredients are readily available.
What ingredients are required?
1 whole fresh chicken, quartered
3-4 fuji apples
3-4 snow pears
2-3 large dried dates
1 tablespoon of apricot kernals
3 L of water
How do I prepare it?
- Begin boiling your soup water
- Rinse and soak in warm water the dried dates and apricot kernals for 10 minutes
- Blanch the chicken in a separate pot of boiling water
- Wash the snow pears and apples, halve and core
- Add all the ingredients to boiling water
- Boil on high for thirty minutes and reduce to a medium boil for an hour
- Serve and enjoy
Any benefits?
- Snow pears are cooling and help in nourishing the lungs and cooling the heart
- This soup is ideal for the summer months
- It helps relieve heatiness and conditions such as sore and dry throats or heated bodies from consumption of fried and spicy foods
Any precautions?
- Snow pears are mildly “cooling” so people who sensitive to cooling soups should caution
- The chicken itself is quite fatty, so use an oil scooper to remove the fat and oil
Hi!
Can i use slow cooker to make this soup?
Dear Joyce,
Slow cookers work with most soups (except quick boils). Just be careful to not overdo it or the apples/snow pears may disintegrate. Be sure to keep on the peels.
Lisa
How much of the Apricot kernals should be I put in for each seeds ? What is the ratio of each seeds ?
Thanks
Dear Annie,
You can see the Apricot Kernal post with this suggestion:
The direct translation is “South” Apricot Kernals (which are sweet) and “North” Apricot Kernals (which are bitter). Only the bitter ones are poisonous. In general, the combination is 3/4 “south” or “sweet” and 1/4 “north” or “bitter”. The south or sweet ones are often the ones that are ground up for consumption. There is no harm to using only “South” or “sweet” kernals, but for soups, the Chinese usually combine both. I hope this helps. Lisa
Hi Lady Tong,
is north and south apricot kernals suitable for my 1 yr old toddler? He just recovered from flu so what soups will be good to eliminate the nagging phlegm and to build his immunity?
Thank you very much…and my boy loves the apple and corn soup!
Dear Nicole, apricot kernals are OK, so long as they aren’t consuming the seeds and just drinking the soup. For cough and phlegm, you can add a piece of dried tangerine peel as well. I hope this helps and thank you for your continued support! Lisa from TheChineseSoupLady.com Team
Hey when do I add the salt in the soup and how much salt?
Hi See Lam, my initial instincts are to add no salt – keep the soup natural tasting as much as possible. However, if you do choose to add salt, a pinch or two is sufficient for one bowl and add it to the end of the soup. I always tell people that you can always add more if it’s enough to your taste, but you can’t make it less salty once you’ve added it (unless you add more soup). Hope this helps and how much you add is really to your taste! Lisa
Can I just cook the soup without the chicken?
Hi I was wondering if I can replace snow pear to nashi? As I couldn’t find any in the shop. Thank you:)
Dear Ha, they actually belong in the same family and produce similar results for the soup – a more cooling and sweeter soup. Hope this helps! Lisa
Hi Lady Tong, May I know Why and When to select Chicken or Pork Bones to make soup? What else, beside the Taste and Vitamins differences? Some Chinese believe that coughing can’t take Chicken, is it true? The western don’t believe it. It’s kind of contradicting. Thank you!
Dear Krystal, you’re right! According to the Chinese, you shouldn’t drink Chicken soup. Some things just go better with Chicken and some with pork, but to be honest, most Chinese chicken soups actually also contain pork (ie: one or two pieces of pork shank – especially double-boiled soups). In general, pork is more neutral of a meat whereas Chicken is more “healing” (and generally used more often in confinement soups). However, from experience, you can mix and match on many occasions. Leafy greens tend to go better with pork soup – ie: bak choy, dried bak choy, watercress. Hope this helps, but it does come from experience and just talking to all sorts of old ladies! Lisa
Dear Lady Tong, I came across your website only recently. Firstly thank you for sharing your recipe & the useful information with very clear & easy to follow instruction. I used to have a hard time getting the ingredients at Chinese Medicine shop cos’ I cannot read & write Mandarin. Now with your help I just print the ingredient with PinYin and Mandarin characters. Your thoughtful details to that extend is highly appreciated. I tried this soup and it’s so delicious. It’s taking up a lot of gas with cooking time of 1 1/2 hours. Can I boil soup using pressure cooker? Will it affect the taste & the nutrients?
Dear Pat, thank you to both comments. Yes – pressure cookers are more energy efficient with thermal pots even better! Lisa
Dear Lady Tong, I found the answer to my query in Techniques tab. Once again thank you for the recipe and sharing your knowledge.