Grain Sprout, Malt and Corn Soup with Carrot, Water Chestnut and Fig

Why people make this soup

A child’s bad breath is rarely about oral hygiene alone. In Cantonese food therapy, persistent bad breath in children — especially when paired with poor appetite, a slightly yellowish complexion, or scanty stools — is often linked to food accumulation (shi ji): undigested food that lingers in the digestive tract, fermenting and producing a sour or unpleasant odour. Picky eating, too much meat, sweets and fried food, too little fruit and vegetables, and not enough water all contribute. Nourilo’s approach here is clever: the soup is naturally sweet, mild, and fragrant — the kind of soup that a child will actually want to drink. Corn on the cob with its silk (the fibrous strands), water chestnuts, figs, and carrot give it a beautiful golden sweetness, while grain sprouts and roasted malt gently support digestive enzyme activity and clear food stagnation from the inside.