White Atractylodes and Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit Soup

Why people make this soup

A little drooling is perfectly normal in babies — they produce more saliva from about three to four months old and simply haven’t learned to swallow it all yet, especially when teeth are coming in. But if a child past the age of two still drools persistently, traditional Chinese food therapy looks for a pattern in the saliva itself: if it is thick and the corners of the mouth are sore and reddened, the approach is to clear heat from the spleen; if the saliva is clear and watery and the child also tends toward loose stools and a pale complexion, the cause is more likely spleen-qi deficiency, and that is where this simple three-ingredient soup comes in. Nourilo describes it as a gentle, practical formula that parents can prepare easily at home while the child is being monitored.

Method

1. Rinse the white atractylodes and sharpleaf galangal fruit.
2. Remove the pits from the red dates.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 1.5 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 1 hour until reduced to 600 ml.
5. Allow to cool to a comfortable drinking temperature and give to the child throughout the day.

Variation — congee:

If the child has started eating congee or soft foods, cook this soup with lean pork and a small amount of rice to make a nourishing savoury congee. Nourilo notes the congee version is even more effective.

Nourilo’s Tips

If the child finds the soup a little spicy (from the yi zhi ren), reduce the amount to 11 g next time. For children already eating soft foods, cooking this as a congee with a small amount of lean pork is even better — the congee form is gentler on the stomach and more nourishing overall. Nourilo also notes that adding Chinese yam (huai shan) and euryale seeds (qian shi) to the basic formula further strengthens the spleen and kidney, which is useful for children who also have frequent urination alongside the drooling.