Soups
Night Queen Cactus, Carrot and Fig Pork Shin Soup
Traditionally used to moisten the lungs and support bowel regularity
Why people make this soup
Fresh night queen cactus flowers (bawang hua) are prized for making a subtly fragrant, cooling and genuinely refreshing broth. This recipe is especially popular with people who have been eating a lot of fried or deep-fried food and find that their digestion has slowed to a crawl. Dried night queen flowers are more commonly used in everyday cooking because they have a richer aroma and a slightly less cold nature, but fresh flowers have their own seasonal appeal and are worth seeking out when you can find them. Both forms are traditionally associated with moistening the lungs, clearing heat, and gently lubricating the intestines.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Well suited to adults and children who have dry, tight bowels, feel overheated from fried food, or have a dry, scratchy cough from lung heat
- People with loose, frequent stools or diarrhoea should skip this soup — it is moistening in nature and can aggravate an already-loose gut
- Pregnant women should also avoid it
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Night queen cactus flower (bawang hua): The flower of the dragon fruit cactus has a long history in Cantonese food therapy. It is traditionally associated with clearing lung heat and gently lubricating the intestines to ease constipation.
- Carrot (gan sun): Adds natural sweetness to the broth and is traditionally considered supportive of the spleen and stomach, with mild nourishing properties.
- Dried fig (wu hua guo): Sweet, gentle, and widely used in Cantonese soups. Traditionally considered helpful for moistening the lungs, soothing the throat, and softening the stool.
- Pork shin (zhu zhan): Provides body and a mellow, collagen-rich base for the broth without being overly fatty.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh night queen cactus flower | 2 stalks | Rinse, halve lengthwise |
| Carrot | 1 to 2 | Peel, cut into chunks |
| Dried figs | 4 pieces | Rinse, halve |
| Pork shin | 1 piece (~400 g) | Cut into thick slices, blanch |
| Water | 8 to 9 bowls | About 2 litres |
Method
- Rinse the fresh night queen cactus flowers well and slice them in half lengthwise.
- Peel the carrots and cut into large chunks.
- Rinse the dried figs and halve them.
- Cut the pork shin into thick slices. Blanch in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes, drain, and rinse off any foam.
- Place all ingredients in a pot with 8 to 9 bowls of water. Bring to a full boil over high heat, then reduce to a medium-low simmer.
- Cook for about 2 hours until the soup reduces to roughly 4 bowls. Serve the broth and the solid ingredients together.
Bro Niu’s tips
This is a light, clean-tasting soup that suits the whole family, young and old. If you have a dry lung cough with heat signs, add a small handful of southern and northern almonds (nan bei xing) for extra soothing effect. Avoid this soup if you are pregnant or prone to loose stools. Fresh night queen cactus flowers are available at Chinese or Asian grocers and herbal suppliers.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Amy): My elderly friend has been chronically constipated. Even after drinking several glasses of warm water first thing in the morning, nothing moves. Can you suggest a soup or remedy? Bro Niu: Try drinking a small glass of prune juice every day along with some warm water — that alone moves things along fairly quickly. This night queen cactus, carrot and fig soup taken two times a week is also genuinely helpful for establishing more regular bowel habits over time.
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Q (Amy): Is the prune juice the kind sold in supermarkets? Does it have a lot of sugar? Bro Niu: Yes, the supermarket variety. The sugar content is fairly high, so you can dilute it with half water. One small bottle split over two days works well.
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Q (AC): My stools are very large and hard — I often have anal pain. Is there a soup to soften things without causing diarrhoea? Bro Niu: Drinking prune juice regularly, eating dried figs, and making sure you have plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables every day all help to soften the stool gently. These are good long-term habits to build.
Published June 15, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
