Burdock Snow-Fungus Fig Pork-Bone Soup (niu bang xue er wu hua guo xi shi gu tang)

Why people make this soup

Summer burdock is at its most fragrant, and Nourilo prefers the slender roots for their deeper aroma. In tradition, burdock clears heat and soothes the throat and voice. He pairs it with snow fungus, fig, carrot and pork-shoulder bone into a sweet, comforting pot that suits anyone who has overdone the fried, “heaty” foods, or whose throat feels dry and scratchy after a cold.

Method

1. Blanch the pork-shoulder bone. Peel and chunk the burdock and carrot. Soak the snow fungus until soft, remove the stem and rinse.
2. Put everything in a pot with 2.4 L of water and simmer about 2 hours down to 1.2–1.5 L. Drink the soup and eat the ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is sweet and good for the whole family. Burdock runs cooling, so for those who tend to feel cold, add ginger and a piece of aged tangerine peel and simmer a full long-boil; carrot does not “scatter qi” (only white radish does), so it’s a friendly everyday partner.