Ginger Scallion Mustard Greens Soup

Why people make this soup

Mustard greens are often misunderstood as a cooling vegetable, but in traditional food therapy, they are actually pungent and warming — traditionally associated with warming the interior, promoting the flow of qi, clearing phlegm from the lungs, and relieving the kind of full-body heaviness that comes with a cold. When you feel the first signs of a wind-cold illness — that sudden chill, a blocked nose, the dull ache in your neck and limbs, a cough building in the chest — this simple, affordable soup can offer real comfort. The ginger warms and disperses cold; the scallion white parts help release the surface and encourage perspiration; and the mustard greens contribute to clearing the airways and easing chest tightness. The whole soup comes together in under 30 minutes and uses only things you might already have at home.

Method

1. Wash the mustard greens and cut into chunks.
2. Wash the scallion whites and cut into sections; set aside.
3. Bring 1.5 L of water to a boil in a pot.
4. Add the ginger and mustard greens; cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
5. Add the scallion white pieces and cook for a further 5 minutes.
6. Serve warm. Drink while hot for best effect.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is warming, so it is specifically for wind-cold type illness — the kind where you feel cold and shivery rather than hot, and your phlegm is clear or white rather than yellow. If your cold has a sore throat or obvious heat signs, this is not the right soup. Drink it warm, and if you can produce a gentle sweat, that is a good sign the cold is beginning to release. Both round mustard greens and the longer leafy variety work fine for this recipe. This soup is also genuinely helpful after a day of heavy physical work — the mustard greens ease sore muscles and help restore comfort to the body.