Cordyceps Flower, Fresh Yam and Dendrobium Soup

Why people make this soup

When autumn turns dry, the throat and airways feel it first. Nourilo likes this pot because it is gentle — neither heating nor cooling — so the whole family can share it. Cordyceps flower, fresh yam and dendrobium are a classic trio for the season, traditionally used to nourish the body and help it stand up to whatever is going around.

Method

1. Rinse the cordyceps flower briefly. Peel and chunk the fresh yam; rinse and cut the dendrobium into sections; pit the red dates; slice and blanch the pork.
2. Put everything except the cordyceps flower into a pot with 2.4 L of water and simmer for 1 hour.
3. Add the cordyceps flower and simmer a further 20 minutes, reducing to about 1.2 L. Serve the soup with the ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

Don’t soak or wash the cordyceps flower for long — the spores that cling to it can wash away, and over-cooking robs it of its lovely aroma. The soup is balanced and good for young and old alike, but skip it if you have a cold with fever.