Soups
Golden Needle, Wood Ear, Tofu and Hairy Gourd Soup
Traditionally clears heat, eases restlessness and supports the stomach
Why people make this soup
Bro Niu wrote this one with busy working women in mind. When you are juggling a job, a household and everyone else’s expectations, and nobody seems to understand, that bottled-up frustration is what traditional Chinese thinking calls liver-qi stagnation — and it can show up as irregular periods, a tight feeling under the ribs, or a bloated belly. This gentle soup is meant as a calm, nourishing bowl for exactly those days.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People feeling stressed, irritable or “stuck,” with that tight, restless quality the source calls liver-qi stagnation with heat.
- The source also suggests it for those with liver conditions, and for people who are overweight or living with high blood pressure or diabetes.
- As with any soup, if you have a real medical condition, treat this as food alongside, not instead of, your doctor’s care.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Golden needle / daylily buds (jin zhen cai): Nicknamed the “forget-worries herb,” traditionally used to nourish the blood, calm restlessness and settle the spirit; mildly clearing yet gently building, which is why it suits a stressed constitution.
- Wood ear (mu er): A clear, light fungus traditionally valued for moistening and gentle nourishment.
- Tofu (dou fu): Cooling and soothing, traditionally associated with clearing heat.
- Hairy gourd (jie gua): A summer gourd that is clearing but milder and less cold than winter melon, kind to the stomach.
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dried daylily buds (jin zhen cai) | ~11 g (3 qian) | Soak and rinse |
| Wood ear (mu er) | 2 pieces | Soak and rinse |
| Firm tofu | 2 blocks | Cut into chunks |
| Hairy gourd (jie gua) | 1 | Peel, cut into chunks |
| Lean pork | ~225 g (6 taels) | Sliced, blanched |
Method
- Slice the lean pork and blanch it briefly to clean it.
- Peel the hairy gourd and cut into chunks. Soak and rinse the daylily buds and wood ear. Cut the tofu into chunks.
- Put everything in a pot with about 8 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer about 1 hour until reduced to 4–5 bowls. Drink the soup and eat the ingredients.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is well suited to people with liver conditions, and also to those who are overweight or managing high blood pressure or diabetes.
Community questions answered (selected)
-
Q (reader): Can I use cloud ear (wan er) instead of wood ear? Bro Niu: Yes, cloud ear works fine.
-
Q (Mrs Chan): If my family doesn’t like daylily buds, what can I use instead? Bro Niu: Then just leave the daylily buds out. You could add a few baby corn cobs instead.
Published August 9, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
