Day Lily, Goji Berry, Lily Bulb and Dried Conch Soup

Why people make this soup

Modern urban life brings a level of pressure that the body and mind are not always well-equipped to handle. Hong Kong in particular is well known for extremely long working hours, and rates of anxiety among its residents reflect that. Traditional Cantonese food therapy offers a gentle, dietary approach to supporting emotional balance — not as a substitute for professional care, but as a meaningful part of how people tend to their wellbeing day to day.

This soup was developed by Nourilo specifically as a calming recipe for a Singapore television feature on Hong Kong food culture. The four ingredients — day lily, lily bulb, goji berry, and dried conch — are individually well-established in Chinese food therapy for their association with nourishing yin (cooling, moistening energy), settling heart fire, and supporting a calm, grounded mood. Together they make a naturally sweet, pleasant soup that is suitable for anyone who finds themselves prone to worry, restlessness, night sweats, or difficulty sleeping.

Method

1. Soak each ingredient separately in cold water for 20–30 minutes to rehydrate and remove any dust or impurities. Drain.
2. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.1 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
4. Cook for about 1.5 hours until the soup reduces to 0.9–1.2 L.
5. Serve warm and eat the solid ingredients along with the broth.

Nourilo’s Tips

This broth is naturally sweet and pleasant — it suits everyone from children to the elderly. If dried conch is hard to find, you can substitute 6 fresh baby abalone or 2 rehydrated sea cucumbers — both similarly nourishing, both achieving the same yin-nourishing, heat-clearing quality. For those who would like to enhance the calming effect, you may add 38 g of poria with heart wood (fu shen) and 11 g of sour jujube seeds (suan zao ren). Adding a little lean pork or spare ribs gives the broth extra savouriness. Day lily is also sold in general grocery stores and Chinese medicine shops alike.