Soups

Gastrodia, Polygonatum and Walnut Lean-Pork Soup

Name: Gastrodia, Polygonatum and Walnut Lean-Pork Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: About 1.2 L
Cuisine: Asian, Wellness
Ingredients: Tianma — 11 g; Huangjing — 18 g; Walnut flesh — 40 g; Red dates — 8 (24 g); Lean pork — 225 g

Traditionally used to nourish and support the mind and memory

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr 30 min
Total: 1 hr 45 min
Makes: About 1.2 L

Everyday Balance

Gastrodia, Polygonatum and Walnut Lean-Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

A friend of Nourilo’s had been laid up for over a month with a cold and bronchitis, taking a lot of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. After recovering he felt his memory had slipped and his reactions had dulled, and asked whether any food therapy might help. This is the soup Nourilo suggested — a mild, restorative brew traditionally used to support the mind and memory.

Method

Blanch (out-water) the lean pork. Rinse and soak the other ingredients.
Put everything into a pot with 2.4 L of water.
Simmer about 1.5 hours, down to roughly 1.2 L.

Nourilo’s Tips

This is a nourishing, gently tonic soup the whole family can share, and it is especially helpful for people with nervous exhaustion or a blood-deficiency headache. But anyone whose cold has not fully cleared should not take it.