Codonopsis, Astragalus, Chinese Yam and Lotus Seed Lean Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

Medicine keeps advancing, and many operations are now done by minimally invasive (“micro”) techniques that lower the risks. Even so, Nourilo notes, any surgery takes something out of the body — it loses blood and qi — and patients may feel dizzy, weary and pale, sweat easily, feel sleepy, or feel restless afterward. The right gentle nourishment after surgery can make a real difference. This soup uses ingredients traditionally chosen to support the spleen and stomach and to build qi and blood, the kind of supportive base many families turn to during recovery.

Method

1. Wash all the ingredients.
2. Put everything into a pot with 2.4 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 2 hours, down to roughly 600 ml.
4. Serve, ideally split into two bowls across the day.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is also very well suited to post-childbirth recovery. As a guide, 4 g is about 3.7 g and 38 g about 37 g — but since this is a soup, not a strict medicine, counting 38 g as roughly 35 g is fine and easier to work with. If you would like firmer stools, add about 38 g of fox nut (qian shi) to cook along with it; the whole family can then share the soup.