Soups
Sea Coconut, Tiger Milk Mushroom, Snow Fungus & Fig Soup
Traditionally moistens the lungs and soothes a dry cough
Why people make this soup
The elderly and young children have gentler immune defenses, so a cold can leave them with a stubborn cough. If a cough lingers, do see a doctor to find the cause. But when it isn’t a serious lung infection and the dryness simply won’t ease, a lung-moistening food therapy can be a comfort. Bro Niu favors genuine African sea coconut, which is traditionally valued to soothe coughs and clear phlegm — its quality far outshines the cheaper Thai palm-seed version.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Good for a lingering dry cough with little phlegm, and a dry mouth or throat; suitable for young and old
- Also kind to those who keep late nights, have dry skin, or experience constipation
- A persistent cough should be checked by a doctor to rule out a lung infection
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- African sea coconut (hai di ye): traditionally soothes coughs and clears phlegm
- Tiger milk mushroom (hu ru ling zhi): traditionally valued for the lungs and breathing
- Snow fungus (xue er): traditionally moistens the lungs and skin
- Southern apricot kernels (nan xing): traditionally moisten the lungs and ease cough
- Dried figs (wu hua guo): traditionally moisten the lungs and gut, adding natural sweetness
Ingredients (3–4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| African sea coconut | ~19 g | Rinse and soak |
| Tiger milk mushroom | ~19 g | Rinse and soak |
| Snow fungus | ~19 g | Soak soft, trim base |
| Southern apricot kernels | ~40 g | Rinse |
| Dried figs | 4 | Halve |
Method
- Rinse and soak each ingredient; soak the snow fungus until soft and trim its base.
- Halve the figs.
- Simmer everything in 7 bowls of water for 1 hour, down to 3–4 bowls.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is fragrant and pleasant, fine for young and old, and also kind to those who keep late nights, have dry skin or tend toward constipation.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (PAT): Will this soup taste too bland? Can I add cordyceps flower (chong cao hua)? Bro Niu: You can add some meat for more flavor — the broth is a touch light but quite fragrant. You may add about 5 qian of cordyceps flower to cook with it.
- Q (Apple): Can I add Chinese francolin (zhe gu) to this soup? Can a five-year-old have it? Bro Niu: Yes, adding francolin makes it tastier and more nourishing; toddlers and children can drink it.
- Q (Wai): After a cold I have a dry cough and dry mouth on waking; my doctor says I’m yin-deficient with low fluids. How can I ease this? Bro Niu: Try sha shen, yu zhu and mai dong (5 qian each) with 2 apples (or snow pears), cored, washed with skin on and sliced, plus 40 g sweet-and-bitter apricot kernels and 1 aged tangerine peel; cook with lean pork. Use 7–8 bowls of water simmered 1 hour down to 4–5 bowls, for 3 days, to help nourish yin, moisten the lungs and ease a dry cough.
Published May 18, 2025 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
