Soups
Fresh Dendrobium, Solomon's Seal and Ophiopogon Silkie Chicken Soup
traditionally used to nourish yin, soothe stomach heat, and relieve dry mouth and restlessness
Why people make this soup
Fresh dendrobium is a prized ingredient in Cantonese tonic cooking, traditionally regarded as one of the best foods for nourishing the stomach and generating fluids when they have been depleted by internal heat or dryness. When combined with Solomon’s seal and ophiopogon, two other classic yin-nourishing herbs with complementary profiles, the result is a soup that is cool and nourishing without being cold or weakening. It is the kind of soup people reach for when they feel dried out, vaguely restless, or run-down but cannot quite put their finger on why.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suited to people with a yin-deficient constitution experiencing dry or bitter mouth, mild thirst, restlessness, and mild sleep difficulty tied to internal heat
- Also traditionally used to support people managing diabetes, heart and blood vessel concerns, or constipation associated with dryness
- General family soup — fine for most adults and older children
- Caution: Those with excessive phlegm, a heavy and damp constitution, or active damp-heat conditions should avoid this soup — its strongly moistening nature is counter-productive in those cases
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Fresh dendrobium (xian shi hu): One of the most highly regarded stomach and yin tonics in Chinese food therapy; generates fluids, clears heat from the stomach, and nourishes the yin without causing excess cold
- Solomon’s seal (yu zhu): Nourishes the yin of the lungs and stomach; relieves internal dryness and mild agitation; supports the heart
- Ophiopogon root (mai dong): Traditionally used to moisten the lungs and heart, clear mild heat, and relieve thirst and restlessness; one of the classic herbs for supporting the heart’s yin
- Silkie chicken (wu ji): Nourishes blood and yin; lean and less heating than regular chicken
- Red dates (hong zao): Gently nourish and calm; add sweetness and round out the soup
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh dendrobium stem | ~38 g | Rinse and cut into sections |
| Solomon’s seal | ~19 g | Soak and rinse |
| Ophiopogon root | ~19 g | Soak and rinse |
| Red dates | 4 pieces | Pit and rinse |
| Silkie chicken | half a bird | Chop into large pieces; blanch |
Method
- Rinse the fresh dendrobium and cut into 3–4 cm sections.
- Soak Solomon’s seal and ophiopogon root briefly; rinse well.
- Pit the red dates.
- Chop the silkie chicken into large pieces and blanch in boiling water; drain.
- Place all ingredients in a pot with 8 bowls of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 hours until roughly 4 bowls remain.
- Serve the soup and eat the solid ingredients.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is clear, mild, and refreshing — the whole family can enjoy it. It is not a heavily warming tonic; instead it supports the body by restoring what dryness and internal heat have depleted. For those who cannot find fresh dendrobium, dried dendrobium works well — simply soak it for about 30 minutes first. Reportedly, drinking fresh dendrobium juice or tea regularly is associated with broad health benefits in folk tradition.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (ManMan): I frequently get a sore throat, sweat at night after taking medication, have a lot of internal heat, break out in sores from fried food, and my mouth is very dry in the afternoon. I eat a vegetarian diet. What soups suit me? Bro Niu: Try steeping American ginseng (xi yang shen) and ophiopogon, about a tablespoon of each, as a daily tea — this helps with dry mouth. Continue the floating wheat and jujube tea for the night sweats; you can add 3 qian schisandra berries (wu wei zi) to help hold perspiration in. For vegetarian soups, try pine mushroom, goji berries, snow fungus, and jujubes with chestnuts or cashews — this strengthens immunity without causing heat.
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Q (Betty): Can I use dried dendrobium instead of fresh? Bro Niu: Yes, dried dendrobium works fine — just soak it before use.
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Q (玲): I have frequent stomach bloating and pain; my tongue coating is thick and yellow. Is this silkie chicken soup suitable for me? Bro Niu: You can drink this soup. But if you also have a sore throat right now, rest that first — try golden monk fruit and boat-fruited sterculia tea. Once the throat is better, go back to the tonic soup.
Published January 15, 2021 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
