Chinese Yam, Goji & Pearl-Meat Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

By middle age, vision naturally begins to soften. In Chinese five-element thinking, the eyes are closely tied to the liver — so the traditional approach to tired, strained eyes is to nourish the liver. Goji berries, pearl meat and red dates are all valued for “brightening the eyes,” and this soup is a sweet, savory way to take them. Pearl meat nourishes without being heating, which is why it suits people who are run-down from overwork and might not tolerate stronger tonics.

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients; slice the pearl meat open.
2. Add water and simmer about 2 hours. Eat the soup with the ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

The shell of the pearl oyster is also traditionally used to calm the liver and settle the mind. This soup is especially helpful for people who are mentally overworked.