Soups
Ginkgo, Almond and Pork Lung Soup
Traditionally soothes coughs, loosens phlegm and calms wheezing
Why people make this soup
At this time of year a lot of children pick up respiratory bugs, and even after the fever has gone and the medicine is finished, a stubborn cough and phlegm can hang around. Steamed pear with chuan bei and tangerine peel helps, but if the whole family wants something for the season, a pork lung soup with ginkgo and almonds is just the thing. The pork lung takes some work to clean, but it cooks up genuinely delicious — and the soup is clear, sweet and gently soothing.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits people with a lingering cough, phlegm or mild wheeze, and those troubled by frequent night-time urination; pregnant women may also take this soup.
- Ginkgo cores are mildly toxic — always remove them. Keep ginkgo to about 15 nuts per pot. If a fever will not break, food therapy is only supportive — please see a doctor.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Ginkgo nuts (bai guo): Traditionally used to ease cough, calm wheezing and loosen phlegm; also associated with benefiting frequent urination. Cores must be removed.
- Almonds, north and south (nan bei xing): Long used to moisten the lungs and quiet a cough.
- Tangerine peel (chen pi): Helps regulate the qi and resolve phlegm.
- Pork lung (zhu fei): A traditional pairing for lung-moistening soups.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo nuts | 15–20 | shelled and de-cored |
| North and south almonds | ~19 g | |
| Almond powder | 2 tbsp | mixed with a little water |
| Tangerine peel | 1 piece | soaked, rinsed |
| Pork lung | half | cleaned thoroughly |
| Pork ribs | ~300 g | blanched |
Method
- Shell and de-core the ginkgo nuts. Mix the almond powder with a little water. Soak and rinse the tangerine peel. Clean the pork lung thoroughly. Blanch the pork ribs.
- Put everything except the almond powder into 9 bowls of water and simmer 2 hours until reduced to about 4 bowls.
- Stir in the almond powder, cook a moment longer, and serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
Ginkgo cores are mildly toxic, so always remove them before cooking. To clean pork lung, run water into the windpipe at the tap, let it swell, then prick the surface with a needle to let the blood water drain; repeat two or three times until the lung turns pale. Browning it briefly with ginger gives an even better soup. Beyond easing cough and wheeze, this soup is also nourishing for the skin and helps those who wake often to urinate at night.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (IRIS YUNG): Can pregnant women drink this soup? Bro Niu: Yes, pregnant women may take this soup. Beef lung is very hard to find, but if you have it you may use it in place of pork lung.
- Q (Vicky): My 5-year-old has had a low fever for two days, with a week of cough and runny nose, and today suddenly spiked to 40°C; what food therapy can help? Bro Niu: A fever that won’t break means the infection isn’t cleared — she needs the anti-inflammatory medicine. Food therapy is only supportive; you can keep giving reed-rhizome-and-coix water or a fresh houttuynia lean-pork soup to help clear heat.
- Q (mandy): My almost-three-year-old has been coughing these past days, worse at night with a phlegmy sound; is it a cold or hot type, and can I use pear steamed with chuan bei? Bro Niu: Pear with chuan bei suits a hot cough better. You can put su zi and lai fu zi (3 qian each) in a tea bag, cook a lean-pork congee, and serve over three days; it helps with night cough and phlegmy cough.
Published November 29, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
