American Ginseng, Yu Zhu and Dried Conch Soup

Why people make this soup

A busy festive stretch — late nights, plus plenty of fried and oily food — often leaves people feeling “yin-deficient and heaty”: mouth ulcers, a bitter or dry mouth, that parched feeling. Nourilo’s answer is a moistening, cooling tonic soup. This American ginseng, polygonatum and dried conch soup is traditionally chosen to moisten the lungs, ease dryness and gently nourish yin, making it a soothing pot for anyone who’s been running hot and dry.

Method

1. Blanch the dried conch and lean pork. Rinse and soak the polygonatum.
2. Simmer the pork, conch and polygonatum in 2.4 L of water down to about 1.2 L.
3. Add the sliced American ginseng, simmer 5 minutes more, then serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is tasty and the whole family can drink it. You can use sea-polygonatum (hai yu zhu) in place of the regular kind. If there’s restless yin-deficient insomnia, add about 37.5 g of lily bulb (bai he) to the pot.