Five-Finger Peach Root, Ginger and Lamb Soup

Why people make this soup

Five-finger peach root (wu zhi mao tao) is a star ingredient in Hong Kong and Guangdong kitchens — mild, gentle, and loved for the faint coconut-like fragrance it gives to soups. It has earned the nickname “Southern Astragalus” (nan qi) because its qi-supporting properties are similar to the better-known astragalus root (huang qi), though a little gentler. When this root is paired with lamb — warming, nourishing, and deeply satisfying in cold weather — and fresh ginger, the soup becomes an excellent remedy for the kind of cold that goes all the way to the hands and feet, or for someone who just feels persistently tired and chilled.