Yin-Nourishing Autumn Soup

Why people make this soup

Autumn brings cooling air but also a certain dryness that can creep into the body — a scratchy throat, lips that peel at the edges, skin that feels tight, or a dry cough that lingers for no obvious reason. In Cantonese food-therapy tradition, this seasonal dryness is addressed by eating and drinking foods that are naturally cool and moistening. Snow pear and water chestnuts are both crisp, juicy ingredients that nourish fluids; combined with ophiopogon root (a widely used Chinese herb for lung and stomach yin) and reed rhizome (good for clearing gentle heat), this simple soup is a staple family brew in Hong Kong households from late September through November. It serves equally well as a clear soup or a light sweet dessert.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for the whole family, including children, as a gentle seasonal tonic.
• Can be drunk by those with mild cough and no fever; if fever is present, ophiopogon (mai dong) should be omitted.
• Adding lean pork or pork shin makes it a more filling everyday soup; adding rock sugar makes it a sweet dessert broth.
• Those who are breastfeeding should note that ophiopogon (mai dong) is not a wheat product but always check with a TCM practitioner for personal suitability.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Snow pear (xue li): Naturally cool and juicy; traditionally associated with moistening the lungs and easing a dry cough.
• Water chestnuts (ma ti): Clear gentle heat, generate fluids, and support digestion — plus they add a pleasant natural sweetness.
• Ophiopogon root (mai dong): A classic yin-nourishing herb used for dry throat, dry cough, and lung and stomach dryness; available at any Chinese herb shop.
• Reed rhizome (lu gen): Clears mild heat, promotes fluid production, and supports the upper respiratory tract.
• Dried figs (wu hua guo): Rich in dietary fibre; traditionally used to moisten the intestines and lungs and mildly support immunity.

Ingredients (3–4 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Snow pear	2 medium	Wash, core, keep skin on or peel
Water chestnuts	6–8 pieces	Peel and wash
Ophiopogon root (mai dong)	5 qian (~19 g)	Soak and rinse; from herb shop
Reed rhizome (lu gen)	5 qian (~19 g)	Soak and rinse; from herb shop
Dried figs	4 pieces	Rinse

Method

1. Wash the snow pears and remove the cores; you may peel them or leave the skin on.
2. Peel and wash the water chestnuts.
3. Soak the ophiopogon root and reed rhizome in clean water for 10–15 minutes, then rinse.
4. Place all ingredients into a pot with 6 bowls of water.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 1 hour, until about 3–4 bowls of liquid remain.
6. Serve as a savory soup as-is, or add rock sugar for a sweet dessert version.

Bro Niu’s tips

This soup works beautifully both ways — savory or sweet. If you want a light dessert broth, add a little rock sugar at the end. For a more substantial everyday soup, throw in some lean pork or pork shin (zhanzhu) and cook together from the start. This soup is also gently helpful for autumn-related constipation, since pear and figs both support intestinal moisture. Ophiopogon should be left out if you have an active cold with fever; mild external cough without fever is fine.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (reader, 2016): My child currently has a cold — can she still drink this soup? She has a dry throat and constipation. Bro Niu: Yes, this soup is suitable for her. It will help with the dry throat and the constipation at the same time.

• Q (reader, 2015): Under what circumstances should one not use ophiopogon (mai dong)? Bro Niu: If you have an active external-pathogen cold with fever, hold off on ophiopogon. If it’s just an external cough with no fever, it’s fine to use.

• Q (reader, 2014): Where can I buy ophiopogon root, reed rhizome, and dried figs? Bro Niu: All three can be found at any Chinese herbal medicine shop.

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Published October 10, 2014 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.