Sha Shen, Yu Zhu and Three-Fruit Soup

Why people make this soup

There is an old saying Nourilo likes: “When a patient walks in coughing, even the doctor frowns.” A cough looks like a small thing, but it can come from many sources — colds, post-nasal drip, chronic lung conditions, and very often the stubborn cough that lingers for weeks after COVID. This naturally sweet soup is Nourilo’s gentle pick for a dry throat and a cough that just will not settle.

Method

1. Soak and rinse the adenophora root, Solomon’s seal and apricot kernels.
2. Wash the apples and pears with their skin on, core them and cut into chunks. Halve the figs.
3. Put everything in a pot with 2.4 L of water and simmer for about 1.5 hours until reduced to 1.2 L.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is clear and sweet. It suits long-COVID recovery well, and children who fear bitter medicine take it happily. You can swap hai yu zhu for ordinary yu zhu. Even healthy people benefit — it has a skin-nourishing, complexion-brightening quality.