Chayote, Lotus Seed and Lily Bulb Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

Chayote is one of Nourilo’s favourite summer vegetables — mild, hydrating, and versatile. The younger ones can be stir-fried, while older, firmer chayotes are ideal for slow-cooked soups. When fresh lotus seeds and fresh lily bulbs are in season together, simmering them with chayote and a piece of pork shin makes a soup that is light and not greasy at all — refreshing rather than heavy — and traditionally valued for clearing what Chinese food therapy calls “liver heat,” calming an unsettled mood, and settling the mind before sleep. It suits anyone who tends toward bloating, restless sleep, or the kind of low-grade irritability that can build up in warm weather.