Soups
Ginger, White Radish, and Spearmint Soup
Traditionally used at the very start of a cold to warm, open the pores, and ease sneezing, runny nose, and digestive upset
Why people make this soup
The moment you feel that first scratch in the throat, the watery runny nose, or that heavy foggy feeling in the head — that early window is exactly when this soup is most useful. Bro Niu explains that when a cold is just beginning (what traditional Chinese medicine calls “exterior pattern”), the right strategy is to encourage the body to gently push the pathogen outward through light perspiration, while calming any digestive upset that often accompanies cold symptoms.
White radish is the foundation here: it clears heat from the stomach and lungs, aids digestion, and relieves bloating. On its own, radish is somewhat cooling and can be harsh on people with a cold constitution — but adding generous slices of ginger and the aromatic spearmint (xiang hua cai) transforms it into something warm and opening. The spearmint variety used in Cantonese cooking specifically has a liver-qi moving quality that helps with the headache, chest tightness, and general irritability that can accompany a cold.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Best used at the very start of a cold — clear runny nose, sneezing, mild headache, slight digestive upset, no or low-grade fever
- Not appropriate once a cold has progressed significantly, turned into a high fever, or involves severe body aches — those situations need medical attention
- The ginger and spearmint make this suitable even for people with a cold constitution who normally avoid radish
- Seniors and children: please ensure annual flu vaccination before the season begins, especially if over 65
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- White radish (bai luo bo / Raphanus sativus): Known in traditional practice for clearing heat from the lungs and stomach, promoting fluid metabolism, aiding digestion, and relieving bloating. On its own it is cooling; paired with ginger and spearmint, that quality is balanced.
- Fresh ginger (sheng jiang): The classic warming herb for early-stage cold and flu. Encourages gentle perspiration, warms the stomach, relieves nausea, and helps the body open its pores to release a pathogen at the exterior.
- Spearmint herb (xiang hua cai): An aromatic herb used in Cantonese and Vietnamese cooking that in traditional Chinese wellness is associated with moving liver qi, dispersing wind and cold, calming digestive spasm, and relieving headache and chest tightness that come with a cold.
Ingredients (3–4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White radish | 1 medium | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Fresh ginger | 5–6 slices | Added with radish at the start |
| Spearmint herb (xiang hua cai) | 5 stalks | Cut into sections, added near end |
| Garlic slices | a few (optional) | Adds heat-clearing strength |
| Brown sugar | to taste (optional) | Adds sweetness and warmth |
| Water | 4 bowls (~1 L) |
Method
- Peel the white radish and cut into large chunks.
- Bring 4 bowls of water to a boil in a pot. Add the radish chunks and ginger slices.
- Simmer for 15 minutes until the radish is cooked through.
- Wash the spearmint stalks and cut into sections. Add to the pot.
- Simmer for a further 5 minutes and serve hot.
- Optional: if body aches are present or symptoms seem stronger, add a few garlic slices and a little brown sugar at the end for added warming effect.
Bro Niu’s tips
Drink this soup while it is hot and then rest warmly — the idea is to encourage a gentle light sweat that helps the body release the early-stage cold pathogen. If you also have garlic at home, adding a few slices deepens the warming, protective quality of the soup. A little brown sugar can be added for taste and additional warmth. That said, if symptoms are severe — high fever, marked body aches, or worsening rapidly — please do not rely on food therapy; see a doctor instead. For those prone to recurring colds, Bro Niu recommends the traditional Jade Screen powder (yu ping feng san) combined with a few buds of magnolia flower (xin yi hua) to build a stronger protective surface layer over time.
Published November 22, 2016 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
