Soups
Chayote and Root Vegetable Soup
supports immunity and nourishes with plant-based goodness
Why people make this soup
Sturdy, long-lasting vegetables like chayote, carrot, corn, and root vegetables keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week, making them ideal building blocks for a reliable everyday soup. This simple vegetarian soup brings together these pantry-friendly vegetables with dried shiitake mushrooms and cashews for a bowl that is both nourishing and genuinely delicious. In traditional food-therapy thinking, pairing these ingredients is associated with strengthening the body and supporting everyday immune function.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for the whole family, including children and the elderly
- A good everyday soup when fresh leafy greens are limited
- Those with gout should be mindful that shiitake mushrooms are higher in purines than button mushrooms; they may substitute green olives if needed
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Chayote (he zhang gua): Among the most nutritionally well-rounded of the gourd family; traditionally considered gentle and nourishing
- Carrot (hong luo bo): Rich in beta-carotene; traditionally used to support digestive health and overall vitality
- Corn (su mi): Adds natural sweetness and fibre; traditionally associated with supporting the stomach
- Shiitake mushrooms (dong gu): A source of vitamin D; traditionally valued for supporting immune function and cardiovascular health
- Red dates (hong zao): Widely used in Chinese food therapy to nourish the blood and support energy
- Cashews (yao guo): Contain calcium, phosphorus, and copper; traditionally associated with supporting bone and joint health
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chayote | 1 medium | Peeled and cut into chunks |
| Carrot | 1 medium | Peeled and cut into chunks |
| Sweet corn | 1 cob | Husked and cut into sections |
| Dried shiitake mushrooms | 6 caps | Soaked until soft, stems removed |
| Red dates | 5 | Pitted |
| Cashew nuts | 1 tablespoon | |
| Water | 8 bowls (approx. 2 litres) |
Method
- Peel the chayote and carrot; cut both into large chunks.
- Remove the husk from the corn and cut into sections.
- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in water until soft, then trim off the stems.
- Pit the red dates.
- Place all ingredients in a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a medium-low simmer.
- Cook for about 1.5 hours until the liquid reduces to approximately 4 bowls.
- Serve the soup together with all the ingredients — both the broth and the solids are worth eating.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is light, pleasant, and suitable for all ages. Research suggests that roughly 65% of the nutrients in boiled ingredients remain in the solids rather than the broth alone, so Bro Niu encourages eating the vegetables and mushrooms, not just drinking the liquid. With fresh vegetables becoming expensive, there is no reason to leave good food in the pot.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Jessica): Hello Bro Niu, if I don’t have red dates, can I substitute another ingredient? Bro Niu: You can use dried figs in place of red dates.
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Q (Health): If a family member has recovered from COVID and is no longer feverish but still coughing, what soup would you recommend? Bro Niu: This type of infection is a heat condition. Try simmering lily bulbs (1 liang), 2 cored pears, and apricot kernels (5 qian) in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls — serve for 3 consecutive days. For a dry cough, add a little honey; if there is phlegm, add a piece of dried tangerine peel. Do not add sugar.
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Q (anonymous): My daughter and granddaughter often have cold hands and feet and are not sleeping enough. Would a Chinese angelica (dang gui) black chicken soup be appropriate? Bro Niu: For those who regularly stay up late, a soup of Chinese yam, snow fungus, lotus seeds, and lily bulbs with lean pork is actually a better daily choice. If you have dendrobium (shi hu), add a little — it nourishes yin. You can use 3 qian of Chinese angelica together with codonopsis root (dang shen) and astragalus (bei qi) — 3 qian each — plus some nan dates and fresh ginger in black chicken soup. This helps replenish qi and blood and reduce feelings of cold in the limbs. Twice a week is good.
Published February 14, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
