Soups
Daylily, Celery and Lean Pork Soup
traditionally associated with supporting healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and iron levels
Why people make this soup
Celery has a long track record in both Western nutrition science and Chinese food therapy as a vegetable that may support healthy blood pressure. The variety used here is Chinese celery (also called Tang celery or fragrant celery), which is thinner and more aromatic than Western celery but carries similar — and in traditional thinking, more potent — benefits. Combined with dried daylily buds (a vegetable-herb used in Chinese cooking for centuries) and sweet red dates, this soup is satisfying, easy to prepare on a weeknight, and gentle enough for the whole family including elderly members. Bro Niu particularly recommends it for older adults dealing with fatigue, mild dizziness, or tinnitus.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for most adults and children; balanced in nature (neither warming nor cooling)
- Particularly good for older adults with mild fatigue, ear ringing, dizziness, or digestive sensitivity
- Those managing or aiming to prevent elevated blood pressure, blood sugar, or cholesterol may find this a helpful dietary addition alongside professional medical care
- If you cannot find Chinese celery, Western celery can be used — it is milder but still beneficial
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Daylily buds (jin zhen / huang hua cai): Traditionally considered calming and blood-nourishing, with anti-inflammatory and mildly diuretic properties. Associated with supporting a calm nervous system and healthy urinary function.
- Chinese celery (xiang qin): Widely recognised in Chinese food therapy for supporting healthy blood pressure, containing good amounts of iron (supporting those with mild anaemia), and helping manage dizziness or headaches associated with elevated blood pressure. Its combined nature with the other ingredients makes the finished soup neutral in temperature.
- Red dates (hong zao): Replenish the blood and nourish the spleen; add natural sweetness and balance.
- Lean pork: Provides protein and a gentle, neutral flavour base.
Ingredients (3–4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dried daylily buds (jin zhen) | ~11 g (3 qian) | Soak and rinse before use |
| Chinese celery (xiang qin) | ~75 g (2 liang) | Remove roots; cut into sections |
| Red dates | 6 pieces | Remove pits |
| Lean pork | ~225 g (6 liang) | Slice; blanch briefly in boiling water first |
Method
- Soak and rinse dried daylily buds in water until softened.
- Trim roots from the celery, wash, and cut into sections.
- Pit the red dates.
- Slice the lean pork and blanch briefly in boiling water; drain.
- Place daylily buds, red dates, and pork into a pot with 6 bowls of water (approximately 1.5 litres). Bring to a strong boil.
- Add the celery pieces and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
- Serve; eat both the soup and the solid ingredients.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is balanced in nature — neither warming nor cooling — so it is suitable for young and old. It is helpful for elderly people experiencing mild fatigue, ear ringing, dizziness, or digestive discomfort. If you live outside Hong Kong and cannot find Chinese celery, Western celery works as a substitute without any problem.
Community questions answered (selected)
-
Q (reader, living abroad): Can I use Western celery instead? It is hard to find Chinese celery outside Hong Kong. Bro Niu: Yes, Western celery works fine.
-
Q (reader): Is Chinese celery (xiang qin / tang qin) the same as regular celery? Is it cooling? Bro Niu: Chinese celery is indeed what people in Cantonese cooking call tang qin. Its medicinal effectiveness is considered better than Western celery, and while its nature is slightly cooling, cooking it together with daylily buds and red dates balances the overall soup so it is neither cooling nor warming.
Published September 9, 2018 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
