Ginkgo, Walnut, Almond and Francolin Soup

Why people make this soup

Children and adults who have weak constitutions often seem to catch every cold that goes around, and when the lungs are truly deficient, a cough from one illness can linger for weeks until the next one arrives. In Chinese food-medicine thinking, this pattern points to underlying weakness in the lungs, spleen and kidneys — the three organs most closely involved in breathing, fluid metabolism and constitutional energy. This soup addresses all three at once, using ingredients that have centuries of use behind them.

Francolin (鹧鸪, zhe gu) is a small game bird prized in Cantonese food medicine for its unusually comprehensive nourishing properties — traditionally described as tonifying all five vital organs and supporting qi in the centre. Paired with ginkgo (which calms wheeze), walnut (which tonifies the kidneys and the lungs from below), and almonds (which gently descend lung qi and moisten), the soup becomes a deeply restorative winter tonic for anyone who tends toward breathlessness, frequent colds or constitutional fatigue.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for people with chronic cold-pattern cough, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or wheeze associated with a cold or deficient constitution
• The whole family can share this warming soup
• Not suitable for wind-heat cough (yellow phlegm, sore throat, fever), or during active infection — wait until fully recovered
• Not suitable for heat-excess conditions or abundant phlegm-heat
• Ginkgo nuts: always remove the small green embryo at the centre of the nut before cooking — eating large quantities of ginkgo with the embryo intact can cause toxicity, particularly in children. Ten pieces for a family pot is a safe amount.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Ginkgo nuts (bai guo / 白果): One of the classic lung-supporting foods in Chinese medicine. Traditionally described as astringent to the lungs (helping to contain and settle the breath), and specifically associated with calming wheeze and stopping cough. Remove the green core (embryo) always.
• Walnut kernels (he tao rou / 核桃肉): Associated with tonifying the kidneys and lung qi — in Chinese five-element theory, the kidneys “grasp” the breath downward, so kidney support helps anchor the breath and reduce wheeze.
• Sweet and bitter almonds (nan bei xing / 南北杏): A classic pairing. Sweet almonds (nan xing) moisten and nourish the lungs; bitter almonds (bei xing) descend lung qi and stop cough. Together they cover both the nourishing and the directing aspects of lung support.
• Francolin (zhe gu / 鹧鸪): A small, nutritious game bird. Traditionally ranked alongside pigeon and quail for its concentrated nourishing properties — particularly for the five organs and central qi.
• Southern dates (nan zao / 南枣): Nourish blood and support the spleen; milder and less sweet than red dates, they are often preferred in tonic soups.

Ingredients (4 bowls / whole family)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Ginkgo nuts	10 pieces	Cores (green embryos) removed
Walnut kernels	38 g (1 liang)
Sweet and bitter almonds	38 g (1 liang)	Combined; herb shop or market
Southern dates	6 pieces
Fresh ginger	3 slices
Francolin	1 bird	Cleaned and blanched
Water	8 bowls	Reduce to 4 bowls

Method

1. Clean and blanch the francolin in boiling water for 2–3 minutes to remove impurities. Rinse under cold water.
2. Remove the green embryo (inner core) from each ginkgo nut.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 8 bowls of water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 2 hours, until the liquid reduces to approximately 4 bowls.
5. Season lightly with a pinch of salt if desired. Drink the soup and eat the bird meat and other ingredients.

Bro Niu’s tips

This is a warming, strengthening soup — not a summer dish. It suits autumn and winter best, or any time when chronic deficiency-pattern cough is an issue. If someone in the family has both asthma and tends to catch colds easily, Bro Niu suggests making this once a week as a long-term habit. Cordyceps (chong cao / 虫草) can be added to the pot if available — Bro Niu confirms this combination works well. The soup is mild enough for the whole family, including children, though portions for young children should be smaller.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (May): Can I add cordyceps to this soup? Bro Niu: Yes, cordyceps works very well in this soup.

• Q (May): My family member has asthma and also catches colds easily. What soup would help? Bro Niu: This soup is ideal — ginkgo (15 pieces, cores removed), walnut kernels (1 liang), sweet and bitter almonds (1 liang), red dates (5 pieces), and ginger (2 slices), simmered with francolin in 8 bowls of water down to 4–5 bowls. The whole family can share it. It supports lung qi and warms the lungs to settle wheeze. African sea coconut (fei zhou hai di ye) can also be paired with poria, snow fungus, almonds and red dates in a lean pork soup — this helps lift lung qi and build immunity.

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Published November 21, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.