Cordyceps Flower, Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb and Pork Shin Soup

Why people make this soup

As the weather cools, many older folk feel their bodies struggle to keep up, and old complaints — heart, lungs, liver, kidney — can flare. Winter is the season for tonifying, and Nourilo likes to brew gentle, building soups now to lift the body’s resistance against flu and viruses. But heavy tonics like ginseng or deer antler do not suit everyone — careless tonifying can leave a weak constitution unable to “take” it. So he leans on mild, even-natured herbs with fresh ingredients. This pot is mild, barely “herbal” in taste, fragrant and pleasant — good not just for the middle-aged and elderly but for the young and children too.

Method

1. Rinse the cordyceps flower.
2. Separately soak and wash the lotus seeds, lily bulb and poria; rinse the longan.
3. Cut the pork shin into pieces and blanch.
4. Simmer everything in 2.7 L of water for 2 hours down to 1.2 L, and serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

The cordyceps flower’s goodness concentrates in its top, so if you can find spore-head pieces, all the better. This soup is also traditionally valued by those who sleep poorly or feel emotionally unsettled.