Soups
Fresh Yam, Glehnia, Polygonatum and Wild Duck Soup
Traditionally used to nourish yin, moisten dryness, and support the skin
Why people make this soup
Dry autumn and winter weather can leave skin parched and cracked — hard on older adults and on anyone with long-standing skin issues. Bro Niu’s answer is to simmer more yin-nourishing, moistening soups. Here he uses unsulfured glehnia and Solomon’s seal — glehnia is traditionally associated with nourishing lung-yin and generating fluids, Solomon’s seal with moistening lung-dryness — then adds fresh yam, goji, a little Jinhua ham, and wild duck. The result is clear, savory, and a genuinely lovely soup for thirsty skin.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits young and old in dry weather, and people with rough, flaky skin or a dry-type cough
- Do not take it while you have a cold with fever
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Glehnia (sha shen): traditionally nourishes lung-yin, clears dry-heat, and generates fluids
- Solomon’s seal (yu zhu): traditionally moistens lung-dryness, clears heat, and generates fluids
- Fresh yam (huai shan): traditionally supports the spleen and lungs; the fresh root is mucilaginous and is associated with softening the blood vessels
- Goji (gou qi zi): traditionally nourishes the liver and kidney and brightens the eyes
Ingredients (4 to 5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Glehnia (sha shen) | 5 qian | northern bei sha shen preferred |
| Solomon’s seal (yu zhu) | 5 qian | sea-grown hai yu zhu is fine |
| Fresh yam | ~225 g | peeled, chunked |
| Goji berries | 3 qian | soaked, rinsed |
| Jinhua ham | 2 small pieces | blanched |
| Wild duck | 1 | cleaned, tail removed, blanched |
Method
- Soak and rinse the glehnia, Solomon’s seal, and goji.
- Peel the fresh yam and cut into chunks.
- Clean the duck, remove the tail, cut into large pieces, and blanch together with the ham.
- Simmer everything in 8 to 9 bowls of water for about 1.5 hours, reducing to 4 to 5 bowls.
Bro Niu’s tips
The fine northern glehnia (bei sha shen) works better than the thicker southern kind. Solomon’s seal can be replaced with sea-grown yu zhu. Young and old can enjoy this, but skip it while you have a cold with fever.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (YM): My skin is allergy-prone, dry, itchy and peeling, but my face is also very oily with acne; pale face, dark lips, I feel cold yet sweat easily. Any everyday care? Bro Niu: Your situation is best assessed by a Chinese doctor. For oily skin, cleanse often, then peel a section of loofah, split it, and massage the skin — it tones and calms; keep it in the fridge and reuse, trimming as the juice runs low. For heavy sweating, simmer 3 qian astragalus, 5 qian floating wheat, 1 tael black soybean, and 5 dates in 5 bowls of water down to 2, 2 to 3 times a week.
- Q (DD): I’m in the US and can’t buy wild duck — what can I use instead? Bro Niu: Lean pork, quail, or partridge all work and are nourishing.
Published October 29, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
