Soups
Chayote Flower-Mushroom Bean Pork-Rib Soup
Traditionally used to support appetite, energy and immune resilience
Why people make this soup
Friends gave Bro Niu a couple of boxes of beautiful flower mushrooms — thick, meaty and wonderfully fragrant — so into the pot they went. Paired with chayote, a melon prized in traditional kitchens for being mild and easy on the stomach, plus a handful of scarlet runner beans and pork ribs, you get a rich, savoury soup the whole family can enjoy. It’s the kind of pot Bro Niu turns to when appetites are low, energy is flagging, or everyone just needs a little shoring up.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits people with poor appetite, low energy, mild puffiness or run-down immunity.
- A good family soup; also traditionally enjoyed by those watching weight and the “three highs.”
- Gentle and broadly suitable; no special caution noted in the source.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Flower mushroom (hua gu): Rich in B vitamins, iron, potassium and the uncommon vitamin D; traditionally valued to support immunity and bones.
- Chayote (he zhang gua): Among the most well-rounded of melons; traditionally used to clear heat, support the spleen, open the appetite and drain dampness.
- Scarlet runner beans (hua dou): Nourishing and fat-free; valued as a fine soup bean.
- Pork ribs (pai gu): Add savoury depth and nourishment to the broth.
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chayote (he zhang gua) | 1 | Peel, cut into chunks |
| Dried flower mushrooms (hua gu) | 4 | Soak till soft, remove stems |
| Scarlet runner beans (hua dou) | ~75 g | Soak and rinse |
| Fresh ginger (sheng jiang) | 3 slices | — |
| Pork ribs (pai gu) | ~300 g | Blanch first |
Method
- Peel the chayote and cut into chunks; soak the mushrooms until soft and remove the stems.
- Soak and rinse the beans; blanch the pork ribs.
- Put everything in a pot with 8 bowls of water and simmer for about 1.5 hours, reducing to 4–5 bowls. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
Scarlet runner beans are nourishing, fat-free, and traditionally said to help cut the fattiness of meat — a great soup bean. This soup is savoury and suits young and old. It is also traditionally enjoyed by those managing weight and guarding against the “three highs,” so feel free to make it often.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Suk): My 7-year-old is prone to (non-COVID) pneumonia with low fevers and needs antibiotics. How can I help his lungs, and what soups support immunity? I’m overseas with no tiger-milk mushroom — any substitute? Bro Niu: If you can find houttuynia (yu xing cao, dried is fine), it is traditionally used against lung infection. The patent formula Yu Ping Feng San traditionally supports defence against colds and builds constitution — can you get it? It’s mainly three herbs: astragalus (bei qi), siler (fang feng) and white atractylodes (bai zhu). If you can find those, simmer 10 g of each in water and drink.
- Q (Joyce): My 4-year-old caught adenovirus with a week of on-off fever, now broken. What soups help recovery and immunity? Bro Niu: Children with adenovirus often run fevers for a few days. You can simmer 5 qian of reed root (lu gen), 40 g of raw Job’s tears and 1 cored pear in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls for a day’s serving, traditionally used to help bring down fever. Raw Job’s tears with rock sugar makes a nice water; add a couple of fresh lemon slices at the end for a vitamin boost.
- Q (reader): So I can regularly make lemon Job’s-tears water for immunity? My girl is 3 days past her fever and a bit weak from all the medicine — what soup now? Bro Niu: Yes, lemon Job’s-tears water can be made for the whole family to support resilience. Once the fever is gone, you can simmer 3 qian tiger-milk mushroom, 3 qian snow fungus, 40 g almonds (south & north), 3 figs and 6 red dates with partridge or black-bone chicken; the whole family can drink it to support the lungs.
Published May 26, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
