Soups
Watercress, Carrot and Spare Rib Soup
Traditionally clears heat from the lungs and stomach, supports respiratory comfort
Why people make this soup
Watercress is a versatile green worth keeping on hand. The tender tops can be blanched and finely chopped for dumpling or wonton filling — far more flavourful than cabbage. The rest goes beautifully into this soup, which has been a Cantonese household staple for generations. Watercress has a naturally cooling, clearing quality that traditional food therapy associates with relieving excess heat in the lungs and stomach: the kind of uncomfortable inner warmth that shows up as a nagging phlegmy cough, dry mouth, or sluggish digestion. Adding figs and carrot softens the cooling effect and broadens the benefits.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for anyone with a phlegmy cough, constipation, or sensitivity to bronchial irritants; suitable for the whole family
- Pregnant women can drink this soup if it is simmered for a full 2 hours — the extended cooking reduces the cooling nature of watercress
- Not suitable for people with a cold constitution or loose stools who need warming rather than cooling soups
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Watercress (xi yang cai): Traditionally associated with moistening and clearing the lungs, soothing the intestines, and reducing excess stomach heat; modern research has also examined its use in supporting bronchial health and reducing skin irritation
- Carrot (hong luo bo): Sweet and neutral; adds gentle sweetness and nutritional balance, complements the cooling nature of watercress
- Dried figs (wu hua guo): Naturally sweet and gently moistening; traditionally associated with benefiting the throat and lungs, and softening the bowels
- Spare ribs: Provide body and depth to the broth while keeping it satisfying
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Watercress (xi yang cai) | 300 g (half jin) | Washed; add to boiling water only — see tips |
| Carrot | 1 medium | Peeled, cut into chunks |
| Dried figs (wu hua guo) | 4 | Rinsed |
| Spare ribs | 300 g (half jin) | Blanched briefly to remove impurities |
Method
- Wash watercress thoroughly.
- Peel and cut carrot into chunks. Rinse the figs.
- Blanch the spare ribs in boiling water for 2 minutes; drain and rinse.
- Bring 8 bowls of water to a rolling boil in a large pot.
- Add spare ribs, carrot, and figs. Let the pot return to a full boil.
- Add the watercress to the already-boiling soup.
- Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 1.5 hours.
- Serve the soup and eat the ingredients together.
Bro Niu’s tips
One important technique: always add watercress to already-boiling water or soup. If you put it into cold water and bring to heat, the finished soup will have a bitter, astringent taste. Modern research suggests watercress may help maintain normal circulation and has antioxidant properties. If the cooling nature concerns you, add a slice of dried tangerine peel (chen pi), some dried figs, or a piece of ginger to balance it out.
Community questions answered (selected)
-
Q (Gigi): I just found out I am 5 weeks pregnant. Can I eat watercress? What can I cook if I feel overheated? Bro Niu: You can eat watercress during pregnancy. If you feel overheated, try a soup with imperata root (mao gen), sugarcane, and carrot — that is very suitable for pregnancy. Watercress soup and dried vegetable soup are also fine to drink during pregnancy as long as you simmer them for 2 hours.
-
Q (Susanna): My mother says vegetable soups are too cooling. What can I add to make it less cold in nature? Bro Niu: Add dried figs, dried tangerine peel (chen pi), fresh ginger, or some legumes like hyacinth bean — any of these will warm and balance the cooling quality.
-
Q (reader): A family member recovered from COVID-19 but still has a lot of phlegm that is hard to bring up. What would help clear the phlegm? Bro Niu: You can make a clearing tea with ban xia, fu ling, and bai zhu, about 11 g each, plus 2 pieces of chen pi and a small amount of gan cao, simmered in 5 bowls of water down to 2 — three servings should help clear the phlegm. Also, a soup of watercress, carrot, and figs with lean pork will help clear lung heat.
Published March 20, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
