Soups
Hawthorn, Malt & Radish Digestive Soup
traditionally used to move qi and ease food stagnation after rich meals
Why people make this soup
Around Lunar New Year, friends and relatives come home from all over and there are endless gatherings out at restaurants. To make dishes look glossy and taste richer, kitchens often flash-fry the ingredients in oil — vegetables, tofu, meat, all of it — something we rarely do at home. After a few of those meals the body has absorbed a lot of oil, and when too much rich food piles up, the stomach can’t keep pace; you get that stuffed, stagnant feeling, discomfort and a flat appetite. This soup is the old answer: a gentle brew to move things along and give the digestion a rinse.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits adults after heavy, oily eating, and also helps children with food stagnation.
- Pregnant women should not take it.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Hawthorn (shan zha): traditionally associated with breaking down greasy, meaty food stagnation.
- Chicken gizzard lining (ji nei jin): classic for strengthening digestion and clearing accumulation.
- Malt (mai ya): used to ease the stagnation of starchy, grain-based foods.
- Radish seed (lai fu zi): moves qi and relieves bloating.
- Green radish (qing luo bo): lightens and clears the digestion.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hawthorn (shan zha) | ~11 g (3 qian) | soak and rinse |
| Chicken gizzard lining (ji nei jin) | ~7.5 g (2 qian) | soak and rinse |
| Malt (mai ya) | ~19 g (5 qian) | soak and rinse |
| Radish seed (lai fu zi) | ~11 g (3 qian) | soak and rinse |
| Green radish (qing luo bo) | 1 | peeled, cut into chunks |
| Lean pork | ~300 g (half catty) | cut, blanched |
| Red dates (hong zao) | 4 | pitted |
Method
- Peel and chunk the green radish; pit the red dates.
- Cut the lean pork and blanch it briefly.
- Soak and rinse the remaining herbs.
- Put everything in 7 bowls of water and simmer for 1 hour until reduced to 4 bowls.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup moves qi and clears accumulation, and it also helps children with food stagnation. Pregnant women should not take it.
Published March 14, 2026 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
