Houttuynia and Fig Soup

Why people make this soup

Long-term smokers and older adults sometimes develop a pattern that traditional Chinese food therapy describes as lung heat and dryness — symptoms that show up as breathlessness, a persistent cough producing thick yellow phlegm, a sore dry throat, and constipation. Nourilo came across this simple two-ingredient remedy in a food-therapy reference and found fresh houttuynia paired with figs to be both pleasant-tasting and easy to prepare. The combination is traditionally said to clear heat from the lungs, ease coughing, and gently lubricate the bowel — all from ingredients you can find at a Chinese herbalist or a well-stocked Asian market.