Dried Cabbage, Carrot and Preserved Duck Kidney Soup

Why people make this soup

A lingering sweet sensation in the mouth — not from eating something sweet — is something many people experience without thinking much of it. In traditional Chinese medicine, this is associated with the spleen and digestive system. When the digestive system is out of balance, amylase levels in saliva can rise and stimulate the taste receptors on the tongue, creating that odd, mild sweetness. TCM further distinguishes between a “deficiency heat” pattern (fatigue, poor appetite, low energy) and an “excess heat” pattern (strong thirst, yellow urine, constipation). This soup is aimed at the excess heat type, using dried cabbage and preserved duck kidney to gently clear heat and support smooth digestion.