Soups
Green Radish, Sweet Corn, Water Chestnut, and Fig Soup
traditionally used to clear internal heat, support detoxification, aid digestion, and relieve sore throat
Why people make this soup
There is an old Chinese saying: “Eat radish in winter, eat ginger in summer — and you won’t need a doctor.” Radish of all kinds is prized in Chinese food therapy, but the green radish (qing luo bo) has a special distinction: its nutritional profile is similar to the more familiar white radish, with the addition of vitamin A, giving it a slightly broader food-therapy benefit in traditional usage.
This soup is one of those all-family Cantonese staples that is just as good for prevention as for recovery. Sweet, naturally flavoured, and remarkably easy to make, it combines the best of the winter cooling pantry: green radish to clear lung and stomach heat, sweet corn for its gentle diuretic and digestion-supporting properties, water chestnut for its classically cooling and throat-soothing qualities, and figs to help lubricate the intestines and support immune function.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for the whole family, all ages.
- Particularly helpful when someone in the household has been eating a lot of rich food, or is experiencing sore throat, minor constipation, or a generally “overheated” feeling.
- Also associated with clearing the heavy metals that accumulate from daily cooking with gas stoves — families who cook with gas regularly can benefit from making this soup a weekly habit.
- People with weak spleen and blood deficiency can add a few red dates; adding dried tangerine peel keeps the soup from being too cooling.
- People with diabetes: use only 2 figs instead of 4 to reduce sugar.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Green radish (qing luo bo): Clears heat and toxins from the lungs and stomach; contains vitamins B and C, and additionally vitamin A (unlike white radish). Traditionally associated with clearing gas toxins — useful for frequent home cooks using gas stoves.
- Sweet corn (su mi): Regulates digestion and has mild diuretic properties; the pectin in sweet corn is associated with binding and clearing heavy metal toxins from the digestive tract.
- Water chestnut (ma ti): A classic cooling ingredient in Chinese food therapy; traditionally associated with clearing heat from the liver, lungs, and stomach; soothing the throat; and preventing lead toxicity.
- Dried figs (wu hua guo): Rich in vitamins and minerals; traditionally used to support digestion, regulate bowel movements, and enhance immune function; also associated with anti-cancer properties in folk medicine.
- Pork ribs (pai gu): Provide a flavoursome broth base and protein.
Ingredients (~4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Green radish (qing luo bo) | 1 medium | Peeled and cut into chunks; white radish is a fine substitute |
| Sweet corn | 2 cobs | Husked and cut into sections |
| Water chestnuts (ma ti) | 10 pieces | Peeled and rinsed |
| Dried figs (wu hua guo) | 4 pieces | Rinsed |
| Pork ribs (pai gu) | ~300 g (half jin) | Blanched first in boiling water; drained and rinsed |
| Water | 8–9 bowls (~2–2.25 L) | — |
Method
- Peel the green radish and cut into large chunks.
- Husk the sweet corn and cut each cob into 3–4 sections.
- Peel and rinse the water chestnuts.
- Blanch pork ribs in boiling water for 2 minutes; drain and rinse.
- Add all ingredients to a pot with 8–9 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours until reduced to about 4 bowls.
- Serve with the soup ingredients — eat both the soup and the contents.
Bro Niu’s tips
Both green radish and figs have a throat-soothing quality, so this soup is also helpful for sore throat and chronic bronchitis. If green radish is unavailable (it’s less common outside of Chinese markets), white radish is an excellent and nutritionally similar substitute. If someone in the family has blood deficiency or a weak spleen, add 5–6 red dates to moderate the cooling nature of the soup.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (reader): Can someone who is worried about blood sugar drink this soup? Bro Niu: Yes, people concerned about blood sugar can drink this soup. Figs have a higher sugar content, so use only 2 pieces instead of 4. Sweet corn and the corn core both have diuretic and blood-sugar-moderating properties and should not be a concern.
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Q (reader): If green radish is unavailable, what can be substituted? Bro Niu: White radish is a fine substitute for green radish.
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Q (May): My son is 9 years old and has been taking very deep breaths intermittently during the day. No breathing difficulties, no nasal congestion. Could it be stress from exams? Is there a suitable soup or drink? Bro Niu: Your son may have breathing discomfort linked to stress and nervous tension. Try simmering golden needle mushrooms (1 bunch), walnut meat (1 liang), and red dates (6 pieces) in a big fish head soup — suitable for the whole family and associated with supporting brain function and memory. The green radish soup can have a few dates added to it, and adding dried tangerine peel and figs keeps it from being too cooling.
Published January 12, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
