Water Chestnut, Dried Fig and Lily Bulb Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

Autumn dryness shows up in familiar ways: a persistent tickle at the back of the throat, a dry cough where the phlegm feels sticky and hard to shift, skin that feels tighter than usual. In years when respiratory illness is circulating, these symptoms can feel more pressing. Cantonese food-therapy has a reliable toolkit for this season, and this soup — water chestnuts, dried figs, lily bulb — is a classic combination. Water chestnuts contain a compound called puchiin (荸荠素) that research has shown to have inhibitory activity against certain bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas. Dried figs soothe and moisten the throat with their natural sweetness and gel-like compounds. Lily bulb is one of the most frequently used herbs for calming a dry, heat-type cough and settling an unsettled mind. Together they make a soup that is both delicious and genuinely suited to the season.