Soups
Du Jiao Jin (Striga) and Lean Pork Soup
traditionally used to support children's digestion and appetite
Why people make this soup
Walking past an old Chinese-medicine shop in Sai Ying Pun, I spotted du jiao jin — a little wild herb that grandparents once reached for when a child had “gan ji,” that classic picture of poor appetite and a cranky, sluggish tummy. It’s less familiar today, but it has a quietly sweet, mild taste that children don’t mind, and tradition credits it with clearing liver heat, easing food stagnation, and strengthening the spleen and stomach. Simmered with a little lean pork, it makes a soup that’s been used for generations to settle a child’s digestion.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits children with poor appetite and weak digestion; also considered suitable when a child has a cold.
- As with any food-therapy soup for children, give modest amounts and watch how the child responds.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Du jiao jin (du jiao jin): traditionally associated with clearing liver heat, resolving food stagnation, and strengthening the spleen and stomach.
- Lean pork (shou rou): a gentle, nourishing base that makes the soup palatable.
- Ginger (sheng jiang): warms the soup and balances its character.
Ingredients (2 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Du jiao jin | ~15 g (4 qian) | rinsed |
| Lean pork | ~150 g (4 taels) | sliced |
| Fresh ginger | 3 slices |
Method
- Rinse the du jiao jin; slice the lean pork.
- Place everything in 4.5 bowls of water.
- Boil for 20 minutes until reduced to about 2 bowls. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
The soup smells clean and pleasant with no medicinal bite, so it’s easy for children to take. Besides helping a weak appetite, it’s also suitable to give a child who has caught a cold.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Jessica): My child is not yet two. He was healthy until an RSV infection last November, and since then he keeps catching rhinovirus with wheezing — runny nose and post-nasal drip set off the wheeze, and it’s recurred for months. Is there a food therapy that could help him? Bro Niu: You can simmer 8 magnolia flower buds (xin yi hua), about 7.5 g cang er zi, and 3 scallion whites for 15 minutes as a soup — this helps soothe rhinitis. Separately, you can cook a congee with 1 carrot, 8 pitted red dates, and a piece of aged tangerine peel (chen pi) to help build the child’s constitution and reduce wheezy coughing.
Published March 3, 2026 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
