Codonopsis, Cinnamon Twig & Squab Soup

Why people make this soup

Those dealing with hypothyroidism — underactive thyroid — often live with a particular kind of low-energy fog: heart palpitations, breathlessness from the slightest exertion, a voice that feels softer than it used to, slow thinking, poor appetite, and a persistent sense of cold that does not match the room temperature. Traditional Chinese food therapy associates these patterns with “insufficient heart qi” and “spleen-stomach deficiency,” and recommends warming, tonifying foods. Nourilo’s soup here uses three main actors: codonopsis root as a gentle qi tonic, cinnamon twig to warm and open the channels, and squab (young pigeon), which is considered a more tonifying protein than regular chicken. The ginger and dates round it out. This is a soup families can make for someone who is convalescing or feeling chronically worn down.

Method

1. Clean and blanch the squab briefly in boiling water to remove impurities; drain and rinse.
2. Pit the red dates. Soak and rinse the codonopsis and cinnamon twig.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of water. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.
5. Serve warm. Drink the soup and eat some of the squab meat.

Nourilo’s Tips

If squab is unavailable, half a free-range chicken works well in its place. For more severe symptoms of fatigue and palpitations, codonopsis can be upgraded to Korean ginseng (gao li shen) — use 11 g. Those with a hot constitution should omit the cinnamon twig and codonopsis and use neutral ingredients such as Chinese yam, poria, and snow fungus instead.