Huai Shan, Two Winters and Abalone Chicken Soup (Huai Shan Er Dong Bao Yu Ji Tang)

Why people make this soup

One of the most common patterns in traditional Chinese dietary guidance for diabetes is addressing “excessive stomach fire” combined with yin deficiency — the cluster of symptoms that includes persistent thirst, dry mouth and throat, fatigue, weight loss despite eating, and dry, hard stools. This beautiful soup brings together Chinese yam (a gentle blood-sugar-supporting food used for centuries), along with two classic yin-nourishing herbs — tian dong and mai dong — and the prized abalone, to create a dish that is both medicinal in tradition and genuinely delicious. Skinless chicken provides clean protein without excess fat. The whole family can enjoy this soup, not just those managing diabetes.

Method

1. Remove the intestinal tract from the abalone, rinse, and blanch briefly in boiling water. Set aside.
2. Blanch the skinless chicken in boiling water for a few minutes to remove impurities; discard blanching water. Rinse.
3. Rinse and soak all dried herbs (huai shan, tian dong, mai dong, dates) briefly.
4. Place all ingredients in a large pot and add 2.4 L of cold water.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 2 hours, until the soup has reduced to approximately 1.2 L.
6. Serve the soup and enjoy the chicken and abalone to taste. Season lightly with salt if desired.

Nourilo’s Tips

If you cannot find frozen fresh abalone (ji dong qing bian bao), substitute with 5–6 small fresh nine-hole abalone (jiu kong bao), or use dried conch (xiang luo gan) or fresh fish instead. This soup also has a beautiful effect on the skin and eyes — it is genuinely lovely for the whole family, not only those managing blood sugar. Mai dong does not need to have the tiny central fiber removed for home cooking; that practice was historically debated even in classical texts.