Ginkgo Nut, Fox Nut & Squab Soup

Why people make this soup

Waking up two or three times a night to use the bathroom is disruptive and exhausting — and it is more common than people admit across all age groups. In older adults it often reflects declining kidney “consolidating” function in Chinese medicine terms; in younger people it can be tied to anxiety or poor sleep; in young children it may manifest as bedwetting. This soup is a gentle, food-based approach that families have used across generations to try to support bladder control. It is not a substitute for medical evaluation, but it is a nourishing soup that the whole family can share.

Method

1. Clean the squab and cut into pieces; blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain.
2. Shell the ginkgo nuts; remove the inner papery skin and the green core (the core is mildly toxic — do not skip this step).
3. Rinse the fox nuts, cranberries, southern dates, and tangerine peel.
4. Combine all ingredients in a pot with 8 cups of water.
5. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 hours until the liquid reduces to about 4 cups.
6. Serve the soup and eat the solid ingredients alongside — especially the ginkgo nuts and fox nuts.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is suitable for all ages — from young children with bedwetting to older adults with nighttime frequency. Quail (an chun) is a good alternative to squab if pigeon is hard to find. If the household includes someone prone to constipation, have them skip eating the fox nuts and add 4 dried figs to the pot instead — figs help both bladder and bowel function. Dried cranberries from the supermarket work fine; in Chinese herb shops ask for fu pen zi (11 g, roughly 12 g).