Soups
Tiger Milk Lingzhi and Partridge Soup
Traditionally used to nourish the organs and support recovery after illness
Why people make this soup
These days a COVID infection is often mild, but plenty of people are left with after-effects: tiredness, a cough or breathlessness, chest tightness or palpitations, and sometimes poor concentration (the “brain fog”), stomach aches, headaches, dizziness or sleep trouble. This is Bro Niu’s pick for that recovery stage — a clear, mild soup that traditionally nourishes the organs and supports the lungs, kidneys and a clear head.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People recovering from COVID who feel tired, breathless or have a lingering cough
- Those wanting a gentle, almost herb-free-tasting tonic soup; mild enough for young and old
- Caution: not suitable for those with a fever or an active cold (有发烧症状及感冒患者不宜)
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Tiger milk lingzhi (hu ru ling zhi): a prized medicinal fungus traditionally used to support the lungs and ease wheezing and cough.
- Partridge (zhe gu): traditionally nourishing and supportive for those who are weak and tired, and said to open the appetite and transform phlegm.
- Walnut kernels (he tao rou): traditionally support the kidneys and the brain.
- Apricot kernels, carrot and red dates: traditionally moisten the lungs and round out the soup, supporting the lungs, spleen and kidneys.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tiger milk lingzhi | ~11 g | Soak and rinse |
| Walnut kernels | ~38 g | Soak and rinse |
| Apricot kernels (sweet & bitter) | ~38 g | Soak and rinse |
| Carrot | 1 | Peeled, cut into chunks |
| Red dates | 5 | Pitted |
| Fresh ginger | 3 slices | |
| Frozen partridge | 1 | Cleaned, blanched |
Method
- Clean the partridge, chop into large pieces and blanch. Peel and chunk the carrot. Pit the red dates. Soak and rinse the remaining ingredients.
- Put everything in a pot with 9 bowls of water and simmer for 2 hours until reduced to 4 bowls.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is clear and sweet with almost no medicinal taste, suitable for young and old. But it is not for anyone with a fever or an active cold — taking a tonic too early can let the illness dig in.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (LAN): Can a soup with tiger milk lingzhi be taken if there are cold symptoms? And for one person, how much should I reduce your recipe quantities? Bro Niu: Do not take tonic soups while a cold is unresolved, or you let the illness take hold. For one person, split one batch over 2 days, 2 bowls a day.
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Q (Judy): My 2-year-old has been coughing since age 2, with asthma and nasal allergy, often ill — pneumonia, bronchitis, now admitted with an infection and lots of white phlegm. What is good? Bro Niu: While he is hospitalised with the inflammation not yet cleared, do not use any tonic ingredients. You can use bai he ~19 g, apricot kernels ~19 g, 5–6 pieces of cored dried snow pear and 1 aged tangerine peel in a lean pork soup to help clear lung heat and ease the cough. Take for 2–3 doses.
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Q (Ko): After a barbecue, what soup, sweet soup or drink can quickly cool a child down? We rarely make soup, so few herbs on hand, and my child is 2. Bro Niu: After a barbecue, make some gold monk fruit and snow pear water, or imperatae-cane-water chestnut water — both traditionally clear heat.
Published April 23, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
