Fresh Dendrobium, Yam, Glehnia and Solomon's Seal Quail Soup

Why people make this soup

Some people find that warming or strongly tonic foods leave them feeling worse — dry mouth, mild nausea, heartburn, or a persistent feeling of internal heat. In Chinese food-therapy tradition, this pattern is often described as stomach or lung yin deficiency, and the remedy is not to take stronger tonics but to nourish more gently with cooling, moistening ingredients.

This soup is built for exactly that purpose. Fresh dendrobium (shi hu) is one of the most valued herbs in this context — a succulent orchid stem that is traditionally associated with nourishing stomach yin, generating fluids, and clearing low-grade internal heat without being cold or harsh. Combined with fresh yam, glehnia root, and Solomon’s seal, all of which are gentle, moistening herbs, and with the mild protein of quail, the result is a soup that nourishes without burdening the digestive system.

Method

1. Rinse the fresh dendrobium and cut into 3–4 cm sections.
2. Peel the fresh yam and cut into large chunks.
3. Soak and rinse the glehnia root, Solomon’s seal, and goji berries.
4. Clean and gut the quail; blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes to remove impurities, then drain.
5. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.7–3 L of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
6. Cook for 2 hours until the broth reduces to about 1.2 L. Serve warm, eating the ingredients with the broth.

Nourilo’s Tips

This is a naturally sweet, gentle soup that is suitable for the whole family including children. If fresh dendrobium is hard to find in your area, check organic vegetable stores or Chinese herbal shops — it is available seasonally. If you cannot source it at all, substitute 11 g (about 11 g) of dried dendrobium. This soup also helps children who are small for their age due to a weak digestive system.

For those who want to use dried yam instead of fresh: use about 38 g (37 g) of dried yam slices — they have a similar effect but with a slightly more astringent flavour.