This delicious, milky broth Chinese Soup is ideal for the whole family! Made with a handful of Chinese herbs (dried dates, dried longans, and dried wolfberries) and fresh vegetables, the secret ingredient is Hokkaido whole milk! An usual mixture, but very rich, smooth, and creamy, it’s a delicious addition to any meal! Below, I’ve included both a youtube video of this soup and the standard recipe.
Start with fresh vegetables. I use Japanese pumpkins (instead of your traditional Western Orange pumpkins). The Japanese pumpkin is very starchy and can eat like a meal with the soup. Keep the skin on when you’re making the soup so the pumpkin doesn’t disintegrate into the soup and melt.
Also, in Hong Kong, there is thing with this 3.6 Hokkaido milk. It’s apparently the smoothest, richest, fattest milk available, aside from cream and one of the more reputable Japanese brands available. You can find this in most Asian supermarkets here. My kids love to drink this as whole milk, too!
What’s involved?
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 1 hour 45 mins
Total time: 2 hours 15 mins
Serves: 6 bowls
Ingredients
1-2 large pieces of fresh pork shank
1 whole Japanese pumpkin, seeded and chopped large
2 fresh carrots, peeled and chopped large
2 fresh corn, chopped into quarters
2 tablespoons of dried wolfberries
2 tablespoons of dried longans
2 tablespoons of dried red dates (seed removal optional, although it is said that the seeds are fiery)
salt as needed
0.75 L of fresh 3.6 Hokkaido Milk
Cooking Instructions
Boil two pots of water – one for your soup and one for blanching the pork shank
Once the smaller pot of water is boiling, gently lower the pork shank and let it boil (turning as needed to ensure it’s all cooked) for 5 minutes, drain and set aside
When your soup water boils, add in the Chinese herbs and blanched pork shank
Chop your carrots and corn and add to the boiling soup water
Half your Japanese pumpkin and using a spoon, hollow out the seeds, then cut into large chunks with the skin still on (this will prevent it from disintegrating in your soup) – then add to your soup
Boil in medium high for 30 minutes
Transfer the pot to a thermal pot, or continue to boil on medium low for an hour (still bubbling slightly)
minutes before you’re ready to serve, add 0.75 L of the fresh milk into the pot and boil on medium high for another 15 minutes
Salt as needed
Serve and enjoy – including all the veggies! They are so yummy!
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
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Soup Name: Healing Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup with Fish Maw Traditional Chinese Name: 花膠雞湯 (huā jiāo jī tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. The star of this soup is FISH MAW. This takes collagen to the...
Soup Name: Delicious One Pot Vegetable Vermicelli Soup for Dinner. Literal translation from Chinese is "Mixed vegetables vermicelli pot soup". Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜粉絲鍋湯 (zá cài fěnsī guō tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
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Soup Name: Shrimp Congee with Fresh Yams and Lettuce Traditional Chinese Name: 蝦粥 (xiā zhōu) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Want something easy? Want something delicious? This is the perfect lunch to make in 30 minutes...
Soup Name: Making a Delicious Lotus Root with Vegetables in Pork Broth Chinese Soup (with Roasted Fresh Peanuts!) Traditional Chinese Name: 蓮藕豬骨湯 (Lián'ǒu zhū gǔ tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. For this post, I made 6...
This crab congee is super easy to make! The key ingredient really is just the crab. It’s a warming, traditional comfort food that can also be luxurious and delicious. If you get nice female crabs, the roe comes all out into the soup and really adds a special flavour.
Prepare the crab (see my post on fresh crab on preparation), cut into quarters and set aside
Prepare the fresh chicken by cutting in thin strips
Begin to boil your water and throw in the rice using high heat
Stir every once in awhile to ensure that the congee doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot
When the water boils, add in chicken strips, dried scallops (or conpoys)
When the water boils again, throw in the prepared crab
Continue to stir the congee occasionally and add one cup of boiling water as it thickens. How thin or thick is a personal preference, so you can add less or more water as you desire.
Reduce heat to a medium simmer, cover the pot and let it continue to boil for another 30 minutes. Revisit the pot to stir it, ensuring you stir it right from the bottom.
Add in the preserved Chinese vegetables and mix again.
Let it boil for another 5 minutes.
Serve and top with your favourite toppings such as fresh parsley, green onions, chives or any of the delicious preserved Chinese goodies like garlic, radish, baby cucumbers or pork floss
Here’s how I made it!
To start, you’ll need: 2 fresh live crabs, fresh chicken slices, ginger slices, fresh green onions, dried scallops, and preserved Chinese vegetables (as shown).
I’ve made this many times trying different types of crab. The best and most flavourful crabs ideal for congee are smaller crabs that really aren’t as expensive (at around $70 HKD per crab). While they are smaller, the seem to seep a crab-y and seafood, ocean flavour into the congee, including the roe and cream of the crab into the soup. I’ve also tried more expensive crab (at around $170 HKD per crab) which had more meat, but somehow, it was more just crab by itself and the congee by itself – the two never really blended. But definitely explore yourself and see what works best for you and your family.
You can see my other post on how to prepare fresh crab. A few tips:
Using a big knife, chop off the sharp edges of the legs, shell, claws and any other sharp parts
Using also the back side of a big knife, create cracks in the legs and hard places (so that you can easily eat it out of the congee)
Do not throw away any of the eggs, roe, or cream (found at the head primarily) – the Chinese call these the best parts!
Buy female crabs
Slice the fresh chicken into thin strips. How much you use is really up to you. Since I like my protein, I tend to add more protein everywhere I go! The dried scallops can also be rinsed under warm water ahead of use. And take a few slices of fresh ginger. I tend to keep the pieces quite large so that I can isolate them in the congee and not scoop them out. I also don’t use a lot as I am not a fan of ginger and neither are the children, but you do need a little bit to eliminate any fishy taste in the congee, although I find the crab doesn’t really emit this.
Start boiling your congee water (the bigger the pot, the better!) it’s easier to add more hot water than let it reduce to the appropriate amount. I’ll throw in the rice right away and wait until the water boils. Once it boils, I will add in the chicken, scallops, and ginger.
Once that boils, then feel free to add in the prepared crab. Be sure to stir this pretty often to ensure that the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom. This will also help keep the heat even throughout the pot as it might be quite crowded with all the stuff inside.
Boil this on medium heat for another 30 minutes. The rice will thicken and you can add a cup of boiling water (or really hot water from the nice Chinese hot water boilers) to thin it out. How thick you’d like your soup is completely up to personal preference. I like my congee a bit thinner, with more liquid, but this is up to you.
When it’s almost done (with about another 5 minutes until serving), throw in a handful of preserved Chinese vegetables. I use a very specific one that comes in a ceramic pot and is called “dong choy”. It’s very salty, so use with caution. I don’t add any additional salt after that.
When ready, serve and enjoy! I also top with chives or parsley or fresh green onions. There’s also some other cool Chinese condiments that go with congee, such as preserved baby cucumbers, radish, onions, shallots, dried pork floss, or vinegar soaked garlic.
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Here are suggestions for replacement ingredients for peanuts in Chinese soupsOne guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also exist...
Soup Name: Healing Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup with Fish Maw Traditional Chinese Name: 花膠雞湯 (huā jiāo jī tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. The star of this soup is FISH MAW. This takes collagen to the...
Soup Name: Delicious One Pot Vegetable Vermicelli Soup for Dinner. Literal translation from Chinese is "Mixed vegetables vermicelli pot soup". Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜粉絲鍋湯 (zá cài fěnsī guō tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
5 Tips for Exercising in the Cold (from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective)One guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also...
Soup Name: Shrimp Congee with Fresh Yams and Lettuce Traditional Chinese Name: 蝦粥 (xiā zhōu) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Want something easy? Want something delicious? This is the perfect lunch to make in 30 minutes...
Soup Name: Making a Delicious Lotus Root with Vegetables in Pork Broth Chinese Soup (with Roasted Fresh Peanuts!) Traditional Chinese Name: 蓮藕豬骨湯 (Lián'ǒu zhū gǔ tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. For this post, I made 6...
Fresh Seabed Coconut and Lily Bulbs with Chayotes in Pork Broth
A super duper neutral soup that is ideal for all weather, although chayotes are more appropriate for Spring. I still use chayotes in the winter – especially combined with corn and carrots, provides a hearty meal along with the soup. Fresh seabed coconut is not easy to find, unlike the dried version. They make the soup mildly sweet along with the fresh lily bulbs (which are also not easy to find). If you do run into these at the supermarket or wet mart, I would highly recommend purchasing them for soup usage! The can be frozen for up to 6 months! This is an easy soup to make and can be made with pork or chicken. When it comes to soup, I rarely tell my kids what’s in it until after they have tasted it. To be honest, Chinese soups don’t always looks at appealing as it tastes!
Soup Name:
Fresh Seabed Coconut and Lily Bulbs with Chayotes in Pork Broth
In a separate pot of boiling water, blanch the pork shank in the hot water for 5 minutes, remove from water and rinse in warm running water (to remove the pork foam that has accumulated)
Once you soup water boils, add in pork shank, largely cubed chayotes, fresh seabed coconut, fresh lily bulbs and dried dates
Boil on high heat for 30 minutes and reduce to a low boil for another 1.5 hours
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Here are suggestions for replacement ingredients for peanuts in Chinese soupsOne guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also exist...
Soup Name: Healing Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup with Fish Maw Traditional Chinese Name: 花膠雞湯 (huā jiāo jī tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. The star of this soup is FISH MAW. This takes collagen to the...
Soup Name: Delicious One Pot Vegetable Vermicelli Soup for Dinner. Literal translation from Chinese is "Mixed vegetables vermicelli pot soup". Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜粉絲鍋湯 (zá cài fěnsī guō tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
5 Tips for Exercising in the Cold (from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective)One guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also...
Soup Name: Shrimp Congee with Fresh Yams and Lettuce Traditional Chinese Name: 蝦粥 (xiā zhōu) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Want something easy? Want something delicious? This is the perfect lunch to make in 30 minutes...
Soup Name: Making a Delicious Lotus Root with Vegetables in Pork Broth Chinese Soup (with Roasted Fresh Peanuts!) Traditional Chinese Name: 蓮藕豬骨湯 (Lián'ǒu zhū gǔ tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. For this post, I made 6...
Another soup for the damp, wet spring season! You’ll find a recurring theme within Spring soups, mainly consisting of an assortment of beans and certain vegetables that are diuretic. This is a simple soup with a pretty strong “bean” taste – so use less beans if it’s for kids. Mine found it a bit too “beany” and didn’t really like it that much. Consider adding corn to sweeten it up, but the adults lapped it up. It’s an easy to drink soup that is excellent for our health during this time of the year, especially when it’s wet and humid. You can also use chayotes, onions and fish for variation.
In a small pot of boiling water, blanch your pork for 5 minutes. Scoop out and rinse of any excess foam.
Start boiling your soup water.
Prepare old cucumber and carrots. Keep the peel for the old cucumber to prevent disintegration.
Soak the dried tangerine peel in warm water for 5 minutes and with a sharp knife, scrape the outer peel (where it’s darker in color) to remove the outer layer of the skin (which is most bitter).
When you soup water boils, add all the ingredients together
Boil on high for 30 minutes and reduce to a medium boil for another 1.5 hours.
Salt to taste – enjoy!
Any benefits?
This soup is perfect for Spring or humid conditions when there is a lot of moisture in the body
It is great for clearing damp heat since it’s cooling in nature
Fit for the whole family, this soup eats like a meal!
To answer your questions on what equipment I'm using, I've built a section here where you can find and explore what I'm using to make soups. Ingredients are a little harder, but I will do my best as I source them around. However, you can always message me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook, and I will reply and try to point you in some direction!
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Here are suggestions for replacement ingredients for peanuts in Chinese soupsOne guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also exist...
Soup Name: Healing Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup with Fish Maw Traditional Chinese Name: 花膠雞湯 (huā jiāo jī tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. The star of this soup is FISH MAW. This takes collagen to the...
Soup Name: Delicious One Pot Vegetable Vermicelli Soup for Dinner. Literal translation from Chinese is "Mixed vegetables vermicelli pot soup". Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜粉絲鍋湯 (zá cài fěnsī guō tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
5 Tips for Exercising in the Cold (from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective)One guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also...
Soup Name: Shrimp Congee with Fresh Yams and Lettuce Traditional Chinese Name: 蝦粥 (xiā zhōu) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Want something easy? Want something delicious? This is the perfect lunch to make in 30 minutes...
Soup Name: Making a Delicious Lotus Root with Vegetables in Pork Broth Chinese Soup (with Roasted Fresh Peanuts!) Traditional Chinese Name: 蓮藕豬骨湯 (Lián'ǒu zhū gǔ tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. For this post, I made 6...
My herbalist recommended I make this soup given the recent change of temperature and humidity. She actually only provides the “dried goodies” – see below – in terms of herbs. She will tell you that you additionally need a pork shank and chayotes to complete the soup. This soup is targeted to help reduce wetness in the body and aid with the dampness that comes with Spring in Hong Kong. It’s slightly sweet to taste, and surprisingly, my children drank it all!
Start boiling your soup water and immediately (while the water is still cold) throw in all the dried herbs (figs, honey dates, apricot kernals, lily bulbs, lotus seeds) 2. In a separate pot, blanch the pork shank for 5 minutes, drain and set aside 3. Once the water boils, add in cubed chayotes (with the skin on so it won’t completely disintegrate in the soup) and pork shank 4. Boil on high for 30 minutes 5. Reduce to a medium boil for another 1.5 hours (or put it in a thermal pot) 6. Salt to salt 7. Serve and enjoy!
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Here are suggestions for replacement ingredients for peanuts in Chinese soupsOne guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also exist...
Soup Name: Healing Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup with Fish Maw Traditional Chinese Name: 花膠雞湯 (huā jiāo jī tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. The star of this soup is FISH MAW. This takes collagen to the...
Soup Name: Delicious One Pot Vegetable Vermicelli Soup for Dinner. Literal translation from Chinese is "Mixed vegetables vermicelli pot soup". Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜粉絲鍋湯 (zá cài fěnsī guō tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
Soup Name: Hong Kong Styled Russian Borscht (with oxtail) Traditional Chinese Name: 羅宋湯 (luó sòng tāng) Nature: Warming Taste: Savory, sweet, and slightly sour For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Did you know the secret ingredient to an HK-styled...
Soup Name: ABC Chinese Soup in a collagen rich Salmon Broth (with Chicken Feet) Traditional Chinese Name: 雜菜蕃茄三文魚湯 (zá cài fānjiā sānwènyú tāng) Nature: Slightly cooling Taste: Sweet and savory For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Taking collagen to...
5 Tips for Exercising in the Cold (from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective)One guiding principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the yin yang theory. In the natural world, there exists a balance between 2 opposing and co-existing forces and yet, they also...
Soup Name: Shrimp Congee with Fresh Yams and Lettuce Traditional Chinese Name: 蝦粥 (xiā zhōu) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. Want something easy? Want something delicious? This is the perfect lunch to make in 30 minutes...
Soup Name: Making a Delicious Lotus Root with Vegetables in Pork Broth Chinese Soup (with Roasted Fresh Peanuts!) Traditional Chinese Name: 蓮藕豬骨湯 (Lián'ǒu zhū gǔ tāng) Nature: Neutral Taste: Sweet For more videos, you can follow us on YouTube. For this post, I made 6...
It’s almost Spring time! Can’t you feel the warm sun on your face? Can’t you feel gentle wind without that bitter, cold bite?
Spring is a unique season – well, there are only 4 – so that’s pretty unique already. What makes Spring so different is one key thing (especially in Asia) – humidity. You can’t run from it – especially if you happen to live on an island in Asia or even South East Asia. And like all seasons in the Chinese circle of life, there are soups that are targeted for this season to help:
reduce moisture in your body
remove dampness
tone & strengthen Qi & blood
relieve heaviness in the head and body
For me, being a western-raised Chinese, the key is removing dampness (all the others aren’t as tangible to me). I can feel it in my blankets, in my bedsheets, on the walls and especially on my skin. To remove the “feeling” of dampness in my home, the humidifier is the next great thing after sliced bread in the Spring. I have 2 of these machines that run around the clock in my house to make sure that both my bedsheets and walls don’t start molding on me – it happens – especially given that I live facing a harbor. Spring is a great prelude to Summer, so I’m neither a hater nor a lover. So how do you deal with the dampness that affects the body? Drink soups – in great quantities.
Over the past 8 years living in Hong Kong, there are the same key soups that my meat, veggie and herbal vendors all tell me to make. Even the old ladies that I knock elbows with at the market tell me the same thing, and of course, my own mother. So it’s not coincidence that through generations of knowledge and teaching, the Chinese have narrowed down their soup recommendations for various personal and environment conditions.
There are always KEY ingredients associated with the Spring and you can mix and match the various vegetables and additives as needed for this season. You can also use a combination of pork, chicken and fish with the proposed “Spring” ingredients for variety.
Some Spring ingredients:
old cucumber – with its diuretic effect, it helps you urinate and release the moisture in your body.
adzuki beans – another natural diuretic, this ingredient can dispel both excess body moisture and heat. It also helps strengthen the spleen.
black eye beans – similar to adzuki beans in dispelling excess moisture from the body.
lentils – helps to also dispel moisture from the body and a great source of protein.
barley, job’s tears – another natural diuretic and used to promote urination and has mildly cooling properties.
fu ling or tuckahoe – excellent for removing damp-heat (like Spring or wet conditions).
smilax root or toe folk ling – can help remove excess phlegm and dry throat during illness when the seasons change.
watercress – helps clear heatiness, neutralizes toxins, nourishes the lung and dissolve phlegm.
