Gold-Silver Cabbage and Fig Soup

Why people make this soup

Come autumn, the air turns dry and the body can feel it in unexpected ways — a scratchy throat, a stubborn cough, thick phlegm that is hard to shift, or even a sense of pressure in the chest. In traditional Cantonese food therapy, these are signs that the lungs and stomach have accumulated too much “heat.” This soup was designed for exactly those moments. It is light, naturally sweet, and gentle enough for the whole family to enjoy together.

The combination of dried and fresh Chinese cabbage is a traditional trick: drying concentrates the cabbage’s cooling, moistening quality, while the fresh leaves give the broth a clean flavour. Paired with apricot kernels and figs, the result is a soup that is both pleasant to drink and meaningfully nourishing.

Method

1. Soak and rinse the dried Chinese cabbage thoroughly — give it a few extra rinses if using a non-organic variety, to remove any residue.
2. Rinse the apricot kernels, figs, and candied jujubes.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.1 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
5. Cook for about 2 hours until the liquid reduces to approximately 1.2–1.5 L.
6. Serve warm. Both the soup and the softened ingredients can be eaten.

Nourilo’s Tips

Dried Chinese cabbage is available at Chinese or Asian grocers and online. If you can only find regular dried cabbage, soak and rinse it several more times than you normally would — that is all the extra care it needs. This soup can also be helpful at the very start of a cold, when the throat feels uncomfortable or a mild fever cough has just begun.