Soups
Astragalus Codonopsis Soup
Traditionally strengthens the spleen and moves qi to balance the body
Why people make this soup
Quite a few people — women especially — notice a “hot above, cold below” pattern: an irritable, flushed feeling up top with a dry mouth, mouth ulcers and a parched throat, while down below they get cold hands and feet, a cold belly and a sense of internal chill. Bro Niu notes that for this kind of constitution it helps to favour spleen-supporting foods. Today’s astragalus-codonopsis soup is built mainly on gentle, spleen-strengthening, qi-moving herbs — well suited to this pattern in cold weather.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits people with the “hot above, cold below” pattern, and anyone wanting a mild, balanced tonic soup in cold weather.
- The flavour is mild and the nature is gentle, so it suits young and old. As always with tonic herbs, keep portions sensible.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Astragalus (bei qi): Traditionally used to support qi and the body’s surface defences.
- Codonopsis (dang shen): A gentle qi tonic, traditionally used to support the middle (spleen and stomach).
- Chinese yam, poria, hyacinth bean, euryale, Job’s tears: A cluster of classic spleen-supporting, dampness-draining foods that anchor this soup.
- Goji berries (gou qi zi): Traditionally nourish the liver and kidney and add a touch of sweetness.
Ingredients (3–4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Astragalus root | ~5 qian (~19 g) | |
| Codonopsis root | ~5 qian (~19 g) | |
| Chinese yam | ~5 qian (~19 g) | |
| Poria | ~5 qian (~19 g) | |
| Hyacinth bean | ~5 qian (~19 g) | |
| Euryale seeds | ~5 qian (~19 g) | |
| Job’s tears | ~5 qian (~19 g) | |
| Goji berries | ~3 qian (~11 g) |
Method
- Soak and rinse all the ingredients.
- Add to 7 bowls of water and simmer for about 1 hour until reduced to 3–4 bowls. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is mild in flavour and gentle in nature, so it suits young and old. If you’re serving several people and want it more savoury, add some lean pork or chicken breast to cook with it. (An old TCM tip for this constitution: simmer 3–4 qian of mugwort leaf in water and soak the feet in it while warm each day.)
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Manyi): I sweat easily and feel cold and prone to chills when I go into an air-conditioned room after sweating. Does this soup suit me? Bro Niu: Try astragalus (bei qi), siler (fang feng), atractylodes (bai zhu), ophiopogon (mai dong) and schisandra (wu wei zi), 3 qian each, simmered from 5 bowls of water down to 2. Take 3 doses; if it helps, rest 3 days and repeat one more course.
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Q (Kitty): Does the Job’s tears in this soup need to be dry-fried first? Bro Niu: No need to fry it. If you are worried about it being too cooling, cook raw and roasted Job’s tears together.
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Q (YIYI): My husband has a thick, slightly yellow tongue coating, wakes easily in the morning and struggles to fall asleep. How can he strengthen dampness-draining and the spleen? Bro Niu: Use poria and atractylodes (bai zhu) 5 qian each, hyacinth-bean skin (bian dou yi) 3 qian, lily bulb (bai he) 1 liang, lotus seeds (lian zi) 1 liang and one tangerine peel, as a soup or simply simmered in water. This supports the spleen, drains dampness and calms the heart and mind. You can add lean pork for the whole family.
Published January 27, 2025 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
