Soups
Ginger Scallion Pear and Egg Soup
Traditionally used to gently warm and ease the chills of an early wind-cold cold
Why people make this soup
When school starts and the weather is still warm, kids often catch a chill from over-cold air-conditioning on the school bus or in the classroom. Bro Niu likes this little soup because it is genuinely easy to make and tastes pleasant, so children will actually drink it. It is meant for that early “wind-cold” picture: feeling cold, a slight low fever, no sweating, a headache and a clear watery runny nose, often with a cough.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Adults and children at the very start of a wind-cold cold; especially helpful for weaker-constitution children with an accompanying cough.
- Best skipped if the cold is a wind-heat type (sore swollen throat, thick yellow mucus, high fever). If fever is high or does not settle, see a doctor.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Ginger (sheng jiang): warming and pungent, traditionally used to disperse cold and help the body sweat out a chill.
- Scallion white (cong bai): classically paired with ginger to “release the exterior” and warm against wind-cold.
- Pear (li): moistening and slightly cooling, it balances the warmth and is associated with soothing the throat and lungs.
- Egg (ji dan): adds gentle nourishment so the soup is not purely dispersing.
Ingredients (2 small bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh ginger | 5–6 slices | |
| Scallion whites | 4 stalks | white part only |
| Pear | 2 (or 1 large) | peeled, cored, thick slices |
| Egg | 1 | beaten |
Method
- Rinse the ginger and scallion whites. Peel and core the pear and cut into thick slices.
- Simmer the ginger and pear slices in about one and a half bowls of water for 20 minutes.
- Add the scallion whites and the beaten egg, bring to a rolling boil briefly, then serve.
- Drink it hot, then rest under a blanket; the discomfort eases once you sweat lightly.
Bro Niu’s tips
Both adults and children can take this soup. It is especially friendly for frailer children, gently helping to release the exterior and ease the lungs.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (reader): Can a child take this soup if, after a cold, they still get a stuffy nose and runny nose in air-conditioned places (lingering nasal sensitivity)? Bro Niu: Yes, this soup is fine. You can add about 6 magnolia buds (xin yi hua) to cook along with it, which traditionally helps reduce the runny nose.
- Q (Jiuli): My 6-year-old got chilled by air-conditioning and keeps running a clear nose, but he found this soup too spicy and wouldn’t finish it. Is there a gentler option? Bro Niu: Try perilla leaf (zi su ye) about 3 qian, ginger 3 slices and a little brown sugar, simmered in 3 bowls of water down to 1 bowl, to help warm and disperse the cold.
- Q (reader): For lingering clear nasal discharge after a cold, what can I use that isn’t bitter and is easy to take? Bro Niu: Snip open 6–8 magnolia buds (xin yi hua) and steep as a tea with a little honey, once a day for about a week, to help dry up the runny nose.
Published September 17, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
