Chayote, Water Chestnut, Carrot, and Pork Shank Soup

Why people make this soup

After the solar term Li Qiu (Start of Autumn) has passed, the calendar says autumn but the weather in southern China and Hong Kong still carries the weight of summer’s heat. This is an awkward time for soups: the truly cold-natured summer soups (like bitter melon or pungent herbal brews) can be too strong for a body adjusting to the seasonal shift. Nourilo’s answer is this beautifully balanced soup using chayote, water chestnuts, and carrot — three ingredients that sit between cooling and neutral — paired with pork shank for substance. The result is a gentle, naturally sweet soup that clears any remaining summer heat while beginning to nourish and moisten the body in preparation for the drier months ahead. Chayote, in particular, is one of Nourilo’s favourite everyday vegetables: it is nutritionally complete, neither too warming nor too cooling, and is equally wonderful in soups, stir-fries, or braised dishes.

Method

1. Peel the chayote and carrot; cut both into large chunks. Peel and wash the water chestnuts.
2. Cut the pork shank into chunks and blanch briefly in boiling water; drain and rinse.
3. Place all ingredients into a pot. Add 2.4 L of cold water.
4. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to a medium simmer.
5. Cook for 1.5 hours.
6. Serve the soup and eat the solids — the cooked chayote and carrot are nutritious and worth eating.

Nourilo’s Tips

• Chayote does not need to be seeded before cooking — the seed is soft and edible once cooked; however, do peel the skin before eating it.
• Water chestnuts in everyday cooking are a quietly powerful ingredient: they help clear heat, reduce swellings, and traditionally help the body manage environmental toxins. Nourilo recommends incorporating them into soups regularly.
• If a child has a mild fever and a cough with phlegm, adding a few more water chestnuts and replacing chayote with silk gourd (si gua) also makes a good variation.
• Lotus seeds, lily bulbs, and snow ear fungus can all be added to this soup without issue — Nourilo confirmed this in the Q&A.