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.

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 1.8 L of water.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 1 hour, until about 0.9–1.2 L of liquid remain.
6. Serve as a savory soup as-is, or add rock sugar for a sweet dessert version.

Nourilo’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.