Astragalus and Squab Soup

Why people make this soup

Allergic rhinitis is extremely common in Hong Kong, especially among children, and it tends to flare up with seasonal changes. Chinese medicine categorises rhinitis into three constitutional patterns: lung-qi deficiency, spleen-qi deficiency, and kidney-qi deficiency. This particular soup is designed specifically for the lung-qi deficiency type — where the sneezing is frequent, the nasal discharge is clear and watery, the symptoms worsen after physical exertion or tiredness, and the person tends to feel easily fatigued.

Rather than simply trying to suppress the symptoms, the food-therapy approach here is to build up the body’s defensive (wei) qi — the energy that, in Chinese medicine, is thought to protect the surface of the body from wind and cold. Astragalus is the primary ingredient for this, paired with longan for nourishment, cinnamon bark for warming, and squab as a protein-rich base with a long history in Cantonese tonic cooking.

Method

1. Clean the squab thoroughly and blanch briefly in boiling water; drain.
2. Rinse and soak the remaining ingredients briefly in cold water; drain.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 1.8 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 1 hour until the liquid reduces to approximately 900 ml.
5. Drink the broth; this soup can be taken regularly.

Nourilo’s Tips

Cocklebur fruit (cang er zi) has a mild toxicity and is traditionally considered safe when cooked at the amounts specified. However, it should not be taken continuously over long periods. If you want a gentler, longer-term option for nasal allergy, steep 6–8 crushed magnolia flower buds (xin yi hua) in hot water as a tea — add a little honey to taste — and drink once a day. The prepared formula Yu Ping Feng San (available from Chinese herbal pharmacies) taken alongside the magnolia tea is also helpful for building resistance over time, especially for children.