Gang Mei Root & Lean Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

In muggy weather with poor air quality, it’s easy to come down with flu, acute tonsillitis or throat inflammation. Gang mei root is one of the mainstay ingredients of Cantonese cooling teas — bitter-sweet and cold in nature — and is traditionally associated with clearing heat, easing the throat and freeing the voice. Paired with licorice root, the two are traditionally taken to support the body through flu season; the lean pork balances things out, adds nourishment, and keeps the soup from being too cold while staying easy on the stomach.