Soups
Fresh Yam, Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, Poria and Longan Soup
Traditionally calms the mind and nourishes yin
Why people make this soup
Bro Niu here. With the Olympics wrapped up, plenty of people no longer need to stay up chasing results — but after a stretch of late nights the body’s clock doesn’t always reset to easy sleep right away. A good time, then, for a gentle soup to help settle the mind. Fresh yam with fresh lotus seed, poria, lily bulb and longan makes a soup traditionally associated with nourishing yin, moistening dryness and calming the spirit — well suited to people who feel run-down and short of breath.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People readjusting their sleep after late nights, feeling tired and short of breath
- Gentle and nourishing, fine for the whole family
- If you prefer no meat, you can add some snow fungus instead
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Fresh yam (huai shan): Traditionally used to support the spleen, lungs and kidneys.
- Lotus seed (lian zi): Traditionally associated with calming the heart and settling the mind.
- Lily bulb (bai he): Traditionally used to clear the heart and calm the spirit.
- Poria (fu ling): Traditionally used to strengthen the spleen and settle the mind.
- Longan (yuan rou): Traditionally associated with nourishing the blood and calming the spirit.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh Chinese yam | 1 | Peel, rinse, cut into pieces |
| Fresh lotus seeds | ~75 g | Remove the bitter green core |
| Lily bulb | ~40 g | Soak and rinse |
| Poria | 5 qian (~18 g) | Soak and rinse |
| Dried longan | 5 qian (~18 g) | |
| Pork ribs | ~300 g | Blanch |
Method
- Peel and rinse the fresh yam and cut into pieces. Remove the core from the fresh lotus seeds. Soak and rinse the lily bulb and poria. Blanch the pork ribs.
- Cook all the ingredients in 8 bowls of water for about an hour and a half, reducing to 4 bowls. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
Fresh yam contains a mucilage that can irritate and sting the skin while peeling — wear gloves to peel it, or rinse it and blanch it briefly in boiling water first, then peel, to avoid skin irritation. If you would rather skip the meat, add some snow fungus instead.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (meme): What is the difference between poria in pieces and poria in rolls? Which should I choose for blending in a soy-milk maker? Bro Niu: Some of the poria flesh forms into pieces and some into rolls — it is the same thing.
- Q (Lam Lam): My father will soon have prostate surgery — what food therapy can help him recover? I saw your earlier radish-and-tangerine-peel water; is that okay? Bro Niu: Radish and tangerine peel water can be sipped slowly once he is allowed water after surgery, to help clear the anaesthetic. Millet congee can support the spleen and stomach — adding dried scallop and tangerine peel makes it better. Astragalus (bei qi) is traditionally associated with supporting wound recovery and can be simmered with codonopsis and red dates in a fresh fish soup from about 3 days after surgery.
Published August 12, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
