Bamboo Fungus, Winter Melon, Shiitake and Quail Soup

Why people make this soup

If you spend most of your day sitting at a desk, you may have noticed that any extra weight tends to settle stubbornly around the middle. Nourilo points out that traditional Chinese food therapy specifically looks for foods that help shift abdominal fat accumulation, and bamboo fungus is one of the most respected of these — it lends a beautifully clear, almost luxurious quality to any broth, and has long been considered beneficial for people with high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Combined with winter melon (one of the most effective “draining damp” vegetables) and earthy shiitake mushrooms, this is a soup that feels light and elegant to eat while working away in the background.

Method

1. Soak the dried bamboo fungus in cold water until fully rehydrated and soft; remove and discard the tough stem ends. If the fungus has a sour or off smell, blanch it briefly in boiling water and drain.
2. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms until soft; remove the stems.
3. Wash the winter melon, remove the seeds, and cut into large chunks.
4. Clean and gut the quail. Blanch briefly in boiling water, discard that water, and rinse the quail clean.
5. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 2 hours.
7. Serve the broth together with the solids.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup suits those with high blood pressure, kidney oedema, diabetes, digestive weakness, and constipation. Bamboo fungus is sold dried at Chinese herbal ingredient shops; look for plump individual pieces without a strong sour odour — those are the better quality ones, and the broth they make is particularly sweet and clear. Frozen quail from France (a common import) gives a very clean, sweet broth; if you cannot find it, lean pork or skinless chicken breast works well. After a meal, sipping a simple hawthorn (shan zha) tea can further help with fat metabolism.