Wolfberry Greens, Goji Berry and Egg White Soup

Why people make this soup

Most people are familiar with goji berries (the small, dried red berries found in health food shops), but fewer know that the young tender leaves of the same plant — goji shoots, or wolfberry greens — are a prized seasonal vegetable in Cantonese cooking. When goji shoots come into season in autumn, they are worth seeking out: every leaf is the real thing, and the goji plant’s leaves are, by some measures, even more nutritionally dense than the berries. They are rich in betaine, rutin, multiple amino acids, and vitamins A, C, B1, and B2. In traditional food therapy the leaves are described as clearing liver heat, brightening the eyes, softening blood vessels, and nourishing a depleted constitution. This simple soup — shoots, goji berries, and a wisp of egg white — is light enough to serve on a weeknight and beneficial enough to make regularly during the cooler months when goji shoots are in season.

Method

1. Rinse wolfberry shoots and goji berries separately. Beat egg whites lightly until just combined.
2. Bring 1.2 L of water to a rolling boil.
3. Add wolfberry shoots and goji berries to the boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. While stirring the soup gently, pour the beaten egg whites in slowly in a thin stream. The egg white will set into fine ribbons as it hits the hot soup.
5. As soon as the egg white ribbons rise to the surface and set, turn off the heat immediately.
6. Serve and eat while warm. Can add lean pork if desired.

Nourilo’s Tips

The egg whites should be poured in at the very end and the heat turned off as soon as they set — overcooking makes them tough and the soup cloudy. This soup is clean, fragrant, and slightly sweet. It is ideal in the cooler months when fresh goji shoots are in season. Do not pair this dish with milk or dairy products at the same meal. If you want a more substantial soup, a small amount of lean pork can be added when the greens go in.