Five-Finger Grass, Fresh Dendrobium, Chinese Yam, Lotus Seed, Wolfberry and Beef Shank Soup

Why people make this soup

When the temperature drops, warming the body from the inside out becomes a priority. Nourilo had lamb on the shopping list — black grass-fed lamb has wonderful winter-warming properties — but the cut at the market was quite fatty, so he pivoted to a beef shank instead. Beef shank cooks up beautifully after two hours, becoming silky and tender, and is a much leaner option. The real aromatic star of this soup is five-finger grass root (wu zhi mao tao), a root used widely in Cantonese cooking, particularly in southern Chinese and Hakka cuisine. It has a faint, pleasant coconut fragrance and a reputation for supporting spleen qi and soothing the respiratory tract. Combined with fresh dendrobium (shi hu) — one of the more prized tonic herbs, associated with nourishing stomach yin and benefiting the eyes — and the reliable combination of yam, lotus seeds, and wolfberries, this soup is tonifying without being heavy or heating.