Huai Yam, Goji & Quail Soup

Yes. The broth is naturally sweet and mild, and the recipe notes that children will happily drink it. In the Cantonese tradition, families commonly make this soup at the beginning of each season as a nourishing brew for the whole family, young and old.

No. The tips in this recipe are clear: this soup is a preventive and recovery brew. If someone still has a cold, hold off until their symptoms have fully resolved before serving it.

Quail has long been nicknamed "the ginseng of the animal world" in Chinese food culture because it is traditionally associated with nourishing the five major organ systems without causing the heat or dryness associated with stronger tonics. That said, fresh fish or lean pork are noted as good substitutes if quail is unavailable.

The soup takes about 20 minutes to prepare and roughly 2 hours to cook, for a total time of around 2 hours and 20 minutes. Starting with 2.4 L of water, it reduces to approximately 1.2 L of broth.

Families in the Cantonese tradition traditionally make this soup at the beginning of each season — particularly in spring and autumn — when weather swings between warm and cold and susceptibility to colds tends to rise.