Fresh Burdock Vegetable Soup

Why people make this soup

The “three highs” — high cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar — are showing up in younger people now, often from long hours, stress and a meat-heavy, vegetable-light diet full of fatty beef, fatty chicken, organ meats and shellfish. When the weekend comes, it is a good idea to put on a soup that supports the body against all that. This fresh burdock vegetable soup is generously loaded — a real “rainbow diet” of differently coloured vegetables, gourds and mushrooms, plus blood-nourishing red-skinned peanuts and red dates. It turns out fresh and tasty, is good for the complexion, and is traditionally taken to support against the three highs.

Method

1. Wash the burdock skin and cut into chunks. Peel and chunk the chayote and carrot. Peel and wash the water chestnuts. Husk and cut the corn. Soak and rinse the shiitake and remove the stems. Pit the red dates.
2. Put everything into 2.7 L of water and simmer 2 hours until reduced to about 1.2 L. Eat the ingredients along with the soup.

Nourilo’s Tips

Fresh burdock is traditionally associated with supporting against stroke; choose the slender roots for better effect. This soup suits young and old, and it is best to eat the ingredients too, not just the broth.