Codonopsis, Amomum and Pork Tripe Soup (Dang Shen Sha Ren Zhu Du Tang)

Why people make this soup

Irregular meal times, chronic stress, and a habit of eating cold or raw foods can gradually leave the stomach feeling weakened and chilled — what Chinese medicine calls “spleen-stomach deficiency-cold.” The signs are familiar to many: feeling uncomfortably full after eating only a small amount, persistent belching, a thin watery fluid rising in the mouth, and a general lack of appetite. Left unaddressed, this pattern can progress toward more serious gastric conditions. This soup brings together several ingredients that are, in traditional practice, warming and qi-moving, helping to restore digestive ease and strength. The taste is mild and savory, and the pork tripe has a satisfying, tender texture after long cooking.

Method

1. Clean the pork tripe very thoroughly (see tips below). Blanch in boiling water for a few minutes, then remove, rinse, and slice into thick strips.
2. Rinse and soak the codonopsis, amomum, tangerine peel, and red dates briefly.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of cold water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium-low simmer and cook for about 2 hours until the liquid reduces to approximately 1.2 L.
5. Drink the soup and eat the tripe. Season lightly with salt if desired.

Nourilo’s Tips

Cleaning pork tripe is the most important step — without proper preparation it can have a strong odor that overpowers the soup. Here is the method: rub the tripe vigorously inside and out with salt and cornstarch three times, rinsing thoroughly each time. For a completely odor-free result, after the salt-and-cornstarch wash, soak the tripe in a small amount of rice vinegar for 5 minutes, then rinse clean before cooking. Taking this extra few minutes of effort makes a real difference. If you prefer not to use pork tripe, or want a non-meat option, monkey head mushroom (hou tou gu) makes an excellent substitute — it has a similarly stomach-protective action.