Soups
Four Gentlemen Sea Cucumber & Lean Pork Soup
Traditionally strengthens the spleen, boosts qi and supports the body's resilience
Why people make this soup
In recent years more people are facing cancer, and treatment with chemo or radiotherapy is hard going, with many side effects. There’s a folk idea of “starving the cancer cells,” but in truth cancer cells are good at taking the body’s nutrients, so that approach mostly just leaves the patient weaker. The sounder path is to build up nutrition and the body’s own resilience — eat plenty of high-protein, vitamin- and mineral-rich foods, and avoid inflammation-promoting foods like barbecue, deep-fried and processed items. Because the body is weak during treatment, avoid undercooked foods (sashimi, rare beef, salads, peeled raw fruit) to lower infection risk. This soup pairs nourishing sea cucumber with the classic spleen-and-qi tonic “Four Gentlemen Decoction” and lean pork to support strength.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People recovering and wanting to gently rebuild strength and resilience
- Sea cucumber is hard to digest — those with a very weak stomach should not overeat it
- During cancer treatment, follow your medical team and avoid undercooked foods; this soup is supportive only
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Sea cucumber (hai shen): traditionally a nourishing food associated with supporting the body’s defences.
- The “Four Gentlemen” (codonopsis, poria, white atractylodes, honey-fried liquorice): the classic tonic combination for strengthening the spleen and boosting qi.
- Red dates (hong zao): long used to enrich the blood and harmonise the herbs.
- Lean pork: adds protein and savour.
Ingredients (about 4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rehydrated sea cucumber (hai shen) | 2 | blanched |
| Codonopsis (dang shen) | ~19 g | rinsed and soaked |
| Poria (fu ling) | ~19 g | rinsed and soaked |
| White atractylodes (bai zhu) | ~11 g | rinsed and soaked |
| Honey-fried liquorice (zhi gan cao) | ~7.5 g | rinsed and soaked |
| Red dates (hong zao) | 5 | pitted |
| Lean pork | ~300 g | cut, blanched |
Method
- Blanch the sea cucumber and the cut lean pork together.
- Rinse and soak the remaining herbs; pit the red dates.
- Place everything in a double-boiler pot, pour in 4 bowls of boiling water.
- Double-boil (steam) for 2 hours. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
Rehydrating sea cucumber takes time, so soak a larger batch (300–600 g) at once and freeze it, ready to use whenever you like. This soup is light and gentle, fine for young and old — but sea cucumber is hard to digest, so anyone with a very weak spleen-stomach should not overeat it.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Sum): Bro Niu, which sea cucumber is best to use? Bro Niu: I usually use Australian sea cucumber — thicker flesh, but pricier. Really, any country’s will do; the key is that it’s straight-bodied, undamaged and feels heavy in the hand.
- Q (anonymous): Good morning. My daughter just started her period. What can I cook for her after it ends? Bro Niu: After her period you can make a “four reds” blood-nourishing tea that isn’t too heating: red bean, red-skinned peanut, goji and red dates (suitable amounts of each) boiled as a tea.
- Q (Sophia): Bro Niu, I’m a cancer patient. Last month I had shingles, fairly severe; most has scabbed over but I get nerve pain, especially at night. I eat little, my tongue coating is thick and pale, I’m often dry-mouthed and weak. What ingredients could help? Bro Niu: Ask at a herb stall for purslane (ma chi xian); if available buy ~300 g, split over 2 servings, with mung bean and Job’s tears (~38 g each) and 5 red dates, boiled as a tea — it helps clear the virus and ease discomfort; best taken 3–4 doses. Also cook plenty of millet congee (with dried scallop, lean pork or tangerine peel); millet is very good for the spleen-stomach, 2–3 times a week. Please continue to follow your medical team.
Published October 4, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
