Dried Ginger, Licorice and Poria Soup

Why people make this soup

When the weather turns damp and chilly, people with a tendency toward achy joints, heavy lower limbs, or a sore lower back often notice their symptoms worsen. In Chinese food therapy, this pattern is described as cold-damp settling in the lower body, and the classic response is to warm and move — using ingredients that are thought to gently drive out the cold and drain excess damp. Nourilo recommends this soup, based on a well-known traditional formula, for people who feel a persistent heaviness in the lower back and legs, mild swelling of the extremities, and general cold sensitivity in the joints. The formula is warming rather than stimulating, and can be simmered with a piece of lean pork to make it more of a proper meal.