Loquat Leaf, Dragon Tongue Leaf, Tangerine Cake and Snow Pear Soup

Why people make this soup

As summer gives way to autumn, the air gradually dries and the lungs — which are considered particularly vulnerable to dryness in Chinese medicine — need some extra care. This soup has been shared in Nourilo’s community for years because it works on multiple fronts: loquat leaf clears lung heat and calms the stomach, dragon tongue leaf (a southern Chinese herb available fresh or dried at Chinese herb shops) clears phlegm and eases wheezing, and the preserved tangerine cake adds a citrus-oil warmth that helps move stagnant qi in the chest. Snow pear brings natural sweetness and moisture. Together, these five ingredients make a soup that tastes genuinely good and is widely recommended for both preventing and easing autumn coughs, as well as for clearing lingering heat-related phlegm after a summer cold. The whole family can drink it.

Method

1. Rinse all dried herbs briefly.
2. If using dried dragon tongue leaf, soak in water for 30 minutes then drain and discard the soaking water.
3. Core the snow pears and cut into chunks; keep the skin on.
4. Cut the tangerine cakes into pieces.
5. Combine all ingredients in a pot with 1.8–2.1 L of water.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until reduced to 0.9–1.2 L.
7. Serve warm. Drink as a family; the whole pot can be consumed across one day.

Nourilo’s Tips

• This soup is suitable year-round — not just in autumn. Nourilo says it can be drunk in any season: “If there is lots of phlegm, use just 1 tangerine cake; for a hoarse voice, add a quarter of a luo han guo (monk fruit).”
• For a cold-type cough with white phlegm that is worse at night: swap the snow pear for apple (cored, keep skin). The warmer nature of apple suits cold conditions better.
• For a child’s stubborn lingering cough that has not resolved after other treatments, Nourilo suggests adding some crushed xinyi hua (magnolia flower) to the pot alongside the other herbs to help drain mucus.
• This soup is mild enough for children as young as 14 months (give half a bowl).