Dried Cabbage, Duck Gizzard and Pork Lung Soup

Why people make this soup

Nourilo tells the story plainly: he had been lecturing too much, his throat was sore and his voice had gone hoarse, so he turned to food therapy to recover. Seeing some clean, well-washed pork lungs hanging at the butcher, and thinking that autumn is the season to look after the lungs, he went with the old idea of “nourishing like with like.” He brought home a pork lung and cooked it with dried cabbage, fresh bok choy and dried duck gizzard. The result was a clean, naturally sweet, throat-soothing soup that left his throat far more comfortable. The “gold and silver greens” (jin yin cai) simply means using both dried and fresh cabbage together.

Method

1. Cut the pork lung into pieces and blanch it together with the pork bones (parboil to clean).
2. Rinse and briefly soak the remaining ingredients.
3. Put everything into a pot with 2.4 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 hours down to about 1.2 L.
5. Serve, eating the soup together with the ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

This is a balanced soup — neither cold nor drying — good for the whole family. It is well suited to anyone with a dry-lung cough, a parched throat, or dry skin. To make enough for 5 adults, use 2.4–2.7 L of water and simmer for about an hour and a half down to 1.5 L.