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Dried Oyster, Fat Choy, Shiitake and Lean Pork Soup

Traditionally nourishes yin, clears excess heat, and eases post-indulgence digestive sluggishness

In short: Dried Oyster, Fat Choy, Shiitake and Lean Pork Soup is a soup that Traditionally nourishes yin, clears excess heat, and eases post-indulgence digestive sluggishness. It is most often made for digestive wellness, everyday balance. Total time about 110 min. Key ingredients: oysters, shiitake mushrooms, soybeans, tangerine peel.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
20 min
Cook
90 min
Total
110 min
Makes
1.2–1.5 L
Digestive WellnessEveryday Balance
Dried Oyster, Fat Choy, Shiitake and Lean Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

After days of festive eating — rich meats, fried foods, too many sweets — it is very common to feel bloated, heavy, and vaguely “overheated”: inflamed gums, a bitter taste in the mouth, or simply a dull digestive discomfort. This soup uses the leftover Lunar New Year staples — dried oysters (hao shi) and fat choy (fa cai) — not just for their auspicious symbolism of “prosperity,” but because they genuinely work well together as a post-celebration digestive reset.

Interestingly, fat choy has a long history of being used by teachers in Cantonese traditional households, because chalk dust inhalation was an occupational hazard; the black moss was believed to help “draw out” fine particulates from the body. While that traditional rationale is charmingly old-fashioned, the soup itself is deeply nourishing and tastes wonderful.

What studies say about the key ingredients

Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.

  • Shiitake mushrooms · Randomized controlled trial · 2015
    Daily shiitake intake was associated with increased ex vivo proliferation of γδ-T and NK-T cells, higher salivary sIgA and lower serum CRP, along with changes in cytokine patterns. The comparison was before versus after intake in two dose groups.Limitation: Parallel 5 g and 10 g dose groups with no placebo or non-mushroom control. Short 4-week study in healthy young adults, with mostly ex vivo immune markers.PubMed 25866155 · 2 more shiitake mushrooms studies
  • Tangerine peel · Randomized controlled trial, 72 participants · 2025
    The tangerine peel drink group showed significant reductions in body weight and triglycerides after the intervention compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Safety markers showed no adverse effects. Gut microbiota and serum metabolite profiles also differed.Limitation: Small pilot trial with only 55 of 72 participants completing. The fermented product is not the same as plain tangerine peel, and the control group is not described.PubMed 40225325

From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.

Safety first — read before you cook

This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:

  • are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
  • take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
  • have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.

Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes

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