Soups
Soybean Sprout, Snow Fungus and Tofu Soup
Traditionally used to nourish yin and clear excess heat causing mouth ulcers and sore throat
Why people make this soup
Burning the midnight oil is almost a badge of honour in modern city life — but Bro Niu has seen the consequences up close, in the patients and readers who reach out after weeks of late nights. The pattern is predictable: dry mouth, scratchy throat, mouth ulcers appearing one after another, a low-grade irritability, maybe some acne. In Chinese food medicine, this cluster of symptoms is associated with what practitioners call “yin deficiency with rising fire” — the body’s cooling, nourishing reserves depleted, leaving internal heat to flare upward.
This soup works gently to rehydrate and nourish from within. Soybean sprouts clear stomach heat; snow fungus is one of the most prized yin-nourishing foods in the Chinese kitchen; firm tofu cools and soothes; dried figs moisten and lubricate. The whole family can eat this — it is light, naturally sweet and completely unpretentious.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People with mouth ulcers, dry mouth, hoarse voice, sore throat, or irritability from insufficient sleep or overwork
- Suitable for the whole family, including children and the elderly
- During menstruation: generally safe; this is not a cold or blood-moving soup
- Pregnancy: suitable (one community member at 17 weeks was advised this soup is fine)
- If you have a cold constitution (often cold, loose stools), this soup is neutral enough that occasional consumption is fine; if you are very cold in constitution, do not rely on it daily
- For persistent or worsening mouth ulcers, see a doctor; if they are related to vitamin deficiency rather than heat, a daily vitamin B complex supplement may resolve them faster
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Soybean sprouts (da dou ya cai / 大豆芽菜): In Chinese food medicine, sprouts are associated with clearing heat and promoting the flow of dampness; soybean sprouts specifically are linked to clearing stomach heat and supporting the heart channel.
- Snow fungus (xue er / 雪耳): One of the great yin-nourishing foods — mild, naturally sweet, containing polysaccharides associated with immune modulation. Particularly associated with nourishing the lungs, stomach and skin from within.
- Firm tofu (lao dou fu / 老豆腐): Cooling, protein-rich, and soothing to the stomach lining. “Old tofu” (firm tofu) holds its shape better in long-simmered soups than silken tofu.
- Dried figs (wu hua guo / 无花果): Gentle and moistening; traditionally used to support the lungs and large intestine, and to add a mild natural sweetness that makes the soup more pleasant without added sugar.
- Lean pork: Provides depth and flavour to the broth; pork is considered neutral in Chinese food medicine and helps to make the soup more filling.
Ingredients (4 bowls / 2 days)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Soybean sprouts | 300 g | Rinsed |
| Firm tofu (soup tofu) | 1–2 blocks | Added when soup is boiling |
| Snow fungus | 38 g (1 liang) | Soaked until soft, stem removed |
| Dried figs | 4 pieces | |
| Lean pork | 225 g (6 liang) | Blanched briefly |
| Water | 8 bowls (approx.) | Simmer to approx. 4 bowls |
Method
- Soak the snow fungus in cold water until fully expanded and soft (at least 30 minutes). Trim and discard the firm yellowish stem.
- Blanch the lean pork briefly in boiling water to remove impurities, then rinse.
- Place the pork, snow fungus and dried figs in a pot with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.
- After 30 minutes, add the tofu and soybean sprouts (add these later, as the sprouts will turn mushy if overcooked — adding them to boiling liquid briefly seals their flavour).
- Continue simmering for a total of approximately 1.5 hours.
- Season lightly if desired, and serve with the soup ingredients. Eat the tofu, sprouts, snow fungus and figs along with the broth.
Bro Niu’s tips
If mouth ulcers appear after nights of insufficient sleep, adding a few more dried figs to the pot will increase the moistening, yin-nourishing effect. For a vegetarian version, omit the pork and add a small piece of dried seaweed (hai zao) — it adds umami depth and is itself cooling in nature. If mouth ulcers keep recurring despite food adjustments, try taking one vitamin B complex tablet daily — in Bro Niu’s experience, this frequently resolves recurrent ulcers that have a nutritional (rather than heat-fire) origin.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Siuming): Does the lean pork need to be marinated first? Bro Niu: No marinade needed for this soup — just blanch the pork briefly in boiling water first to remove impurities. No marinade required.
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Q (MANDY): How much water do I use, and do I start with cold water with all the ingredients together? Bro Niu: Start the meat, snow fungus and dried figs in cold water — this helps the proteins release slowly into the broth and gives a better flavour. The soybean sprouts and tofu are better added once the soup is already boiling, so they go in with boiling water. Use around 8 bowls of water for the full soup, cooking down to about 4 bowls.
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Q (LC): I have three mouth ulcers from too many late nights, and I am currently having my period. Something too cold or too warming would both be a problem for me. Is this soup suitable? Bro Niu: Yes, this soup is appropriate for you. You can also try a simpler option: snow fungus and dried figs simmered with ripe papaya or snow pear and a little rock sugar — this nourishes yin and clears heat gently. If improvement is slow, get a vitamin B complex supplement from the pharmacy and take one daily — you should see the ulcers resolve within a few days.
Published November 20, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 5 min read.
