Soups
Fresh Yam, Codonopsis and Quail Soup
traditionally used to tonify qi and blood, boost immunity, and support the health of constitutionally weak children
Why people make this soup
It is heartbreaking to watch a child who barely recovers from one cold before catching another. Some children seem to fall into this cycle as soon as they start nursery or school, and their parents start looking for ways to support their immune resilience from the inside. In Chinese food-therapy, this pattern of repeated respiratory infections in children is often attributed to insufficient qi — the body’s vital energy — making it harder to mount a strong defence against the inevitable stream of germs that circulate in early childhood. The advice is to use gentle, nourishing soups between illness episodes to gradually strengthen the constitution. This soup stars quail, which Chinese tradition has called “the ginseng of poultry” for centuries — a small bird with a remarkable nutritional profile, mild and easy for children to digest. Paired with codonopsis root (a gentle, ginseng-like tonic), fresh Chinese yam, and red dates, this makes a sweet, comforting soup that the whole family can share.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Children who seem constitutionally weak and get sick frequently; serve 1 small bowl per day
- Adults and the whole family as a gentle qi and blood tonic
- Do not serve during an active cold, fever, or infection — the soup is tonifying and should only be taken when the child is well; wait until any medication course is complete
- If quail is unavailable, substitute with 1 partridge (zhe gu) or half a silkie chicken
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Quail (an chun): Called “the ginseng of poultry” in Chinese tradition; small but nutritionally rich, with a reputation for tonifying the five organ systems, supporting bone strength, and providing a gentle but effective qi-nourishing action; milder and easier to digest than chicken for children
- Codonopsis root (dang shen): A gentler, more affordable cousin of ginseng, widely used in Cantonese cooking as a qi tonic; supports spleen and lung function, which in Chinese medicine governs both digestion and immune defence
- Fresh Chinese yam (xian huai shan): Neutral and nourishing; supports healthy digestion and fluid metabolism; helps the body better absorb the tonic effects of codonopsis
- Red dates (hong zao): A classic qi and blood tonic; also moderates the flavour of the soup and helps children enjoy it
- Fresh ginger: Three slices help warm the middle and support digestion; also helps prevent any slight chill from the raw ingredients
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Codonopsis root (dang shen) | ~15 g (4 qian) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| Fresh Chinese yam | ~113 g (3 liang) | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Red dates | 6 pieces | Rinse |
| Fresh ginger | 3 slices | |
| Quail | 2 birds | Clean and gut; blanch in boiling water first to remove impurities |
| Water | 8 bowls (~1.9 L) | Reduce to 4 bowls |
Method
- Clean and gut the quails (ask your butcher to do this if preferred); blanch in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then drain and rinse.
- Rinse the codonopsis root and red dates; peel the fresh yam and cut into chunks.
- Combine all ingredients in a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer for approximately 2 hours until about 4 bowls remain.
- Serve warm. The whole family can drink it; children should have a smaller serving of 1 bowl.
Bro Niu’s tips
Quail can be harder to find than chicken, but larger supermarkets in Chinese neighbourhoods and Asian grocery stores often carry frozen quail year-round — they typically come in packs of two. If you cannot find quail at all, half a silkie chicken (zhu si ji) or one partridge makes an excellent substitute with a similar nourishing quality. This soup can also be made using the double-steaming method (隔水炖) for 3 hours if you prefer. Between illness episodes, for an additional preventive boost, Bro Niu recommends the classic jade windscreen formula (yu ping feng san — astragalus, white atractylodes, and siler root, each 3 qian), available as a ready-made granule from many Chinese pharmacy chains, and very convenient for busy families.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Ivy): My daughter is just 6 months old, and since getting a cold and fever last week, her hands and feet have been cold but her head sweats. Is she constitutionally weak? What can help? Bro Niu: After a course of Western medicine, it is not unusual for young children to have slight spontaneous sweating. Try a simple formula of floating wheat (fu xiao mai, 3 qian), red dates (6 pieces), and black soybeans (1 liang) simmered in 5 bowls of water to 1.5 bowls — take it for 3 consecutive days. It helps reduce spontaneous sweating after illness. Cold hands and feet are fine as long as the neck and back are warm.
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Q (right-grass-scent reader): My son is 18 months old and has been getting a cold with fever every month since he turned 1. He also wakes at night sweating. What soups should I make regularly? Bro Niu: Try astragalus root (bei qi), siler root (fang feng), and white atractylodes (bai zhu) — 3 qian each — with 2 slices of ginger and 4 red dates, simmered in 5 bowls of water to 2 bowls, twice a week. This strengthens the constitution and improves resistance to colds and flu.
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Q (POE): My daughter is 2 years old and has had respiratory problems since 9 months. How often should I tonify, and is it safe to do so for such a young child? Bro Niu: For a 2-year-old, use gently tonifying soups: poria (fu ling), white atractylodes (bai zhu), lotus seeds (lian zi), euryale seeds (qian shi) — 1 liang each — with dried tangerine peel (1 piece) and red dates (6 pieces) simmered with lean pork shank. The whole family can drink it, 2 times a week. This supports the spleen and qi absorption and is suitable for young children.
Published March 20, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 5 min read.
