Astragalus, Angelica, Ginger and Lamb Soup

Why people make this soup

When cold weather arrives and your hands and feet stay icy no matter how many layers you wear, it may be a sign that your body’s warming energy — what Chinese medicine calls yang qi — or blood supply is insufficient to reach the extremities. Lamb is one of the most warming meats in the Chinese culinary tradition: it benefits qi and yang, supports blood production, and helps the body generate its own heat. Paired with the blood-moving angelica root, the qi-boosting astragalus, and the warming ginger, this is a soup that many women with menstrual irregularity, pale complexion, or cold-type period pain turn to through the winter months. The smell of good lamb broth is deeply comforting on a cold evening.

Method

1. Rinse all herbs; pit the red dates.
2. Rinse the lamb and blanch in boiling water for 3–4 minutes to remove impurities; drain.
3. Combine all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
4. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
5. Cook for 2 hours until the broth is rich and the lamb is tender.
6. Serve hot.

Nourilo’s Tips

Choose lamb with black skin if you can find it — it has a milder gamey smell than regular lamb. Frozen lamb is acceptable (around 70–90 HKD per jin at time of writing); fresh black-grass lamb is significantly more expensive but noticeably more fragrant. This soup is fragrant and richly flavoured; it is excellent for those who feel dizzy and cold. Because it is a warm-natured tonic, avoid it during fever, dental pain, or any signs of internal heat. For a couple, reduce the lamb to around 300 g.