Gold-Silver Cabbage and Fig Soup

Why people make this soup

Come autumn, the air turns dry and the body can feel it in unexpected ways — a scratchy throat, a stubborn cough, thick phlegm that is hard to shift, or even a sense of pressure in the chest. In traditional Cantonese food therapy, these are signs that the lungs and stomach have accumulated too much “heat.” This soup was designed for exactly those moments. It is light, naturally sweet, and gentle enough for the whole family to enjoy together.

The combination of dried and fresh Chinese cabbage is a traditional trick: drying concentrates the cabbage’s cooling, moistening quality, while the fresh leaves give the broth a clean flavour. Paired with apricot kernels and figs, the result is a soup that is both pleasant to drink and meaningfully nourishing.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits those feeling the effects of dry autumn weather: mild throat discomfort, a slightly rough cough, thick phlegm, or a sense of warmth or tightness in the chest.
• The soup is generally mild. Simmering for the full two hours reduces any cooling quality in the cabbage, making it less likely to upset those with a sensitive stomach.
• Those with a very cold constitution should not rely on this soup as a regular tonic; occasional use is fine.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Dried Chinese cabbage (bai cai gan): In traditional practice, dried cabbage is thought to be more concentrated in its moistening and heat-clearing action than fresh. It is particularly associated with supporting lung and stomach comfort.
• Fresh Chinese cabbage (bai cai): Adds volume, sweetness, and a gentler moistening effect. Together with the dried version they form the “gold and silver” pairing the soup is named for.
• Southern apricot kernels (nan xing): Mild, slightly sweet; traditionally associated with moistening the lungs and supporting smooth breathing.
• Northern apricot kernels (bei xing): Slightly bitter; traditionally associated with clearing phlegm and relieving coughs. Note: northern apricot kernels carry a mild natural bitterness and are used in small amounts — the conventional ratio is roughly five southern to one northern.
• Dried figs (wu hua guo): Sweet and neutral; in traditional Cantonese cooking figs are added to broths to support the throat and digestive comfort.
• Candied jujube (mi zao): Adds natural sweetness to balance the broth and is traditionally said to gently nourish the digestive system.

Ingredients (4–5 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Dried Chinese cabbage	~38 g (1 liang)	Soak and rinse well; organic if available
Fresh Chinese cabbage	4 heads	Roughly chopped
Apricot kernels (southern + northern mixed)	~38 g (1 liang) combined	Conventional ratio: 5 southern : 1 northern
Dried figs	3 pieces
Candied jujube (mi zao)	3 pieces
Water	7 bowls (~1.75 L)

Method

1. Soak and rinse the dried Chinese cabbage thoroughly — give it a few extra rinses if using a non-organic variety, to remove any residue.
2. Rinse the apricot kernels, figs, and candied jujubes.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 7 bowls of water.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
5. Cook for about 2 hours until the liquid reduces to approximately 4–5 bowls.
6. Serve warm. Both the soup and the softened ingredients can be eaten.

Bro Niu’s tips

Dried Chinese cabbage is available at Chinese or Asian grocers and online. If you can only find regular dried cabbage, soak and rinse it several more times than you normally would — that is all the extra care it needs. This soup can also be helpful at the very start of a cold, when the throat feels uncomfortable or a mild fever cough has just begun.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (May): Bro Niu, is this soup cooling in nature? Bro Niu: After simmering for the full two hours it is not cold in nature — you do not need to worry about that.

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Published October 13, 2013 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.