Burdock, Old Cucumber and Dried Duck Gizzard Soup

Why people make this soup

After a string of meals out — too much MSG-heavy food, perhaps — Nourilo found his throat going dry and uncomfortable, though not yet truly inflamed or painful. So he went straight out for some yin-nourishing, heat-clearing ingredients to simmer a corrective soup. As he says, heading trouble off early always beats treating it once you’re sick. This burdock, old cucumber and dried duck gizzard soup is traditionally used to nourish yin, clear heat, moisten the lungs and ease the throat.

Method

1. Soak and rinse the dried duck gizzards. Scrub the burdock clean and cut into sections.
2. Rinse the old cucumber, split, remove the seeds and cut into chunks.
3. Put everything into the pot with about 2.4 L of water.
4. Simmer down to about 1.2 L and serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup also helps with lingering heat after a cold — irritability, thirst, sore throat, tender gums. The dried duck gizzard mainly adds savoury flavour, so it can be left out, or you can simmer in some pork ribs instead.