Green Radish, Green Olive, Lily Bulb, and Pork Rib Soup

Why people make this soup

When friends began asking Nourilo how to help family members recover after a respiratory infection — still left with a dry cough, throat discomfort, or general weakness — he recommended this soup as one of the most appropriate options for that in-between stage: past the worst of the illness, but not yet fully restored. The combination of green olive and green radish is itself a classic Cantonese pairing, known in folk tradition as “Green Dragon White Tiger Soup” (qing long bai hu tang), long used for protecting throat health and generating fluids. Adding lily bulb and apricot kernels extends the soup’s lung-nourishing qualities, while pork ribs provide protein and body. Nourilo also notes that during viral season, drinking warm liquids frequently — every 15 minutes or so — is traditionally considered helpful for clearing pathogens from the throat.