Goji Leaf, Goji Berry & Pork Liver Soup

Why people make this soup

After one too many late nights, some people wake up to find their eyes alarmingly red — not just tired-looking, but inflamed, watering, and sensitive to light. In Chinese food therapy, this sudden flare of eye symptoms is often linked to the liver becoming overheated, particularly after sleep deprivation combined with stress or overwork. The eyes are considered the sensory window of the liver, so when liver fire rises it shows there first. This soup is one of the simplest and fastest liver-cooling preparations in the Cantonese repertoire — fresh goji leaves and goji berries together, with pork liver to “nourish the liver through like feeding like.” The whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes, making it practical even on a weekday.

Method

1. Pick the goji leaves from their stems and wash them thoroughly. Set aside.
2. Soak and rinse the goji berries briefly. Drain.
3. Wash the pork liver well and slice into thin pieces.
4. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a pot.
5. Add all ingredients at once: goji leaves, goji berries, and sliced pork liver.
6. Cook at a lively simmer for about 15 minutes.
7. Serve hot; eat the liver, goji berries, and leaves alongside the soup.

Nourilo’s Tips

When buying pork liver, look for the firm, reddish-brown variety. The pale, yellowish liver (sometimes called “sandy liver”) is actually a sign of fatty liver disease in the animal — avoid it. Goji leaves have a lightly sweet, grassy flavour that pairs well with the mild richness of the liver — the result is a delicate soup, quite different from heavier liver preparations. If goji leaves are not in season where you are, you can still make a version of this soup by increasing the goji berries slightly and adding a handful of spinach or watercress for their greenery and iron content.