Chayote, Corn and Dried Whelk Soup

Why people make this soup

After a string of restaurant meals or a few days of rich food, you might feel a vague sense of “heat” — a mild dry throat, slight thirst, or just that heavy feeling of having eaten too much. Bitter herbal teas would work, but they leave an unpleasant aftertaste. Nourilo’s preferred solution in this situation: a pot of this gentle, naturally sweet chayote and dried whelk soup. It clears mild internal heat and nourishes yin without being harsh or too cooling — making it suitable even for those with slightly cold constitutions.

The soup also makes a great everyday option for people managing blood pressure, blood sugar, or weight, as all three main ingredients are supportive in these areas.

Method

1. Blanch the pork soup bones in boiling water to remove impurities. Drain and rinse.
2. Soak the dried whelk in clean water for about 30 minutes until softened. Drain.
3. Peel the chayote and cut into large chunks. Husk the corn and cut each cob into 3–4 sections.
4. Place all ingredients — bones, whelk, chayote, corn, and ginger — in a pot with 1.8–2.1 L of water.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for about 1.5 hours until 1.2 L remain.
6. Season lightly with salt. Serve and drink.

Nourilo’s Tips

Dried whelk is not recommended during a cold — substitute with dried scallops (yao zhu) instead. If you cannot find dried whelk, fresh mussels (dan cai) or oyster meat (hao chi) are good alternatives with similar yin-nourishing properties. Snow ear fungus (xue er) or carrot can be added freely to enhance the nutritional value.