Soups
Fresh Chinese Yam, Dendrobium, Goji and Baby Corn Soup
Traditionally taken to support the eyes and vision
Why people make this soup
Beyond foods rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, many natural antioxidant foods containing lutein and zeaxanthin are very kind to the eyes. Bro Niu built this soup from ingredients traditionally seen as good for the eyes, and pairs them with pork ribs so it is both tasty and nourishing — a comforting bowl for anyone who wants to look after their vision.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People wanting an everyday soup to support the eyes and vision, especially those who use screens a lot.
- Sweet and gentle — suitable for young and old.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Fresh Chinese yam (xian huai shan): Strengthens the spleen and supports qi and overall nourishment.
- Dendrobium (shi hu): Traditionally used to nourish yin and fluids and support clear, comfortable eyes.
- Goji berries (gou qi zi): A classic food for nourishing the liver and supporting the eyes.
- Baby corn (yu mi sun): Provides the eye-friendly pigments associated with sweet corn.
- Red dates (hong zao): Nourish the blood and support qi.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh Chinese yam (xian huai shan) | ~4 liang (about 150 g) | Peeled, cut into chunks |
| Fresh dendrobium (xian shi hu) | ~1 liang (about 38 g) | Rinsed, cut into sections; or ~3 qian dried |
| Goji berries (gou qi zi) | ~3 qian (about 11 g) | Rinsed |
| Baby corn (yu mi sun) | 5 to 6 | Rinsed |
| Red dates (hong zao) | 5 | Pitted |
| Pork ribs (pai gu) | ~half a catty (about 300 g) | Blanched |
Method
- Peel the fresh yam and cut into chunks. Rinse the fresh dendrobium and cut into sections.
- Rinse the baby corn and goji; pit the red dates; blanch the pork ribs.
- Put everything in a pot with 8 cups of water and simmer for about an hour and a half until reduced to about 4 bowls. Serve with the ingredients.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is sweet and tasty, suitable for young and old. If you can’t get fresh dendrobium, use about 3 qian of the dried.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Ms. Lam): My 81-year-old father has asthma and is now diagnosed with COPD — often short of breath, lots of phlegm, poor appetite, worst coughing at night. What soup can help? Bro Niu: Use 10 ginkgo nuts (cored), 1 liang walnut, 1 liang sweet-and-bitter apricot kernel, 2 qian snow fungus, 1 liang lily bulb and 4 red dates simmered with lean pork to support the lung, spleen and kidney and help calm coughing and wheezing — 3 doses, the whole family can drink it. Have your father eat some of the ginkgo, snow fungus and walnut. Simmer 2 hours down to 4 to 5 bowls; he takes 2 bowls a day in portions.
- Q (Ada): My daughter has an ovarian chocolate cyst, is very tired after each period and has rosacea — what food could help her tiredness? Bro Niu: Brew 2 teaspoons of chrysanthemum with 2 teaspoons of hawthorn as a regular tea, which is good for rosacea. For post-period fatigue, simmer 5 qian of millettia vine (ji xue teng) with 4 red dates and lean pork.
- Q (Lan): What fresh ingredient can replace tu fu ling (smilax)? Bro Niu: Various melons and gourds — winter melon, old cucumber, bitter melon, calabash — all help support healthy fluid balance and clear damp; pair them with adzuki bean, Job’s tears or hyacinth bean for even more damp-clearing effect.
Published May 18, 2026 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
