Almond Powder, Fresh & Dried Cabbage, Pork Lung & Pork Rib Soup

Why people make this soup

In Cantonese cooking, fresh and dried white cabbage are sometimes called “gold and silver vegetables” (jin yin cai) — the fresh green representing gold and the pale dried version representing silver. When combined in a soup and simmered for a long time, their cooling, slightly dry qualities balance beautifully, and the broth becomes gentle and nourishing rather than starkly cold. Adding almond powder at the end is a trick that gives the soup extra lung-moistening properties and a subtle richness. Pork lung has traditionally been used in Cantonese food therapy based on the principle that “like nourishes like” — feeding the lung to support the organ itself. This is a seasonal soup that fits dry autumn weather particularly well.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits people with dry-weather coughs, lingering lung heat after illness, constipation from intestinal heat, irritability, and mild stomach heat
• Suitable for all ages, old and young alike
• No specific contraindications noted for this mild, balanced preparation

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Almond powder (xing ren fen): Ground sweet almonds; stirred in at the end to add a lung-moistening, cough-calming quality without overpowering the broth.
• Fresh white cabbage (bai cai): Mildly cooling; traditionally associated with clearing heat from the stomach and intestines.
• Dried white cabbage (bai cai gan): A gently warming, concentrated version of the fresh vegetable; pairs with fresh cabbage to moderate coolness.
• Pork lung (zhu fei): In Cantonese food therapy, the lung of a pig is used to tonify and moisten the human lung — based on the classical “organ correspondence” principle.
• Dried tangerine peel (chen pi): Regulates qi, reduces phlegm, and helps digestion.
• Pork ribs: Add richness and depth to the broth.

Ingredients (4–5 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Almond powder	1 tablespoon	Dissolve in a little water before adding
Fresh white cabbage	112 g	Soak, wash, and cut into sections
Dried white cabbage	38 g	Soak, wash, and cut into sections
Pork lung	Half a lung	Rinse thoroughly, cut into pieces, and blanch
Dried tangerine peel	1 piece	Soak and rinse
Pork ribs	300 g	Blanch to remove impurities

Method

1. Rinse the pork lung thoroughly — flush water through the airways if possible. Cut into pieces and blanch in boiling water; drain.
2. Blanch the pork ribs; drain. Soak and rinse the fresh and dried cabbage; cut into sections. Soak and rinse the tangerine peel.
3. Combine pork lung, pork ribs, fresh cabbage, dried cabbage, and tangerine peel in a large pot with 10 cups (about 2.4 litres) of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.
5. Dissolve the almond powder in a small amount of water or cool broth and stir it into the hot soup. Bring back to a boil briefly, then serve.
6. Eat the soup together with the solid ingredients.

Bro Niu’s tips

This soup is well suited to dry weather and is gentle enough for the whole family. The almond powder added at the end significantly improves the cough-calming quality of the soup. If pork lung is unavailable or not to your taste, substitute with carrot and lean pork for a lighter but still effective version. The white cabbage and dried cabbage together need at least 1.5–2 hours of simmering to lose their cooling edge.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Amy): I cannot find pork lung — what can I use instead? Bro Niu: You can use carrot and lean pork instead. Both are very good for moistening the lungs.

• Q (Amy, follow-up): If using lean pork, how much is needed? Do I still need the ribs? Bro Niu: The amount of meat is mostly personal preference — for a family of 3–4, about half a jin (300 g) is enough. If using lean pork, you do not need the ribs as well.

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Published October 4, 2017 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.