Job's Tears and Chicken Broth (Ying Mi Ji Rou Geng)

Why people make this dish

Parents often ask Bro Niu: my child won’t eat, is too light for their age, and catches every cold that goes around — what can I do? The answer is rarely a single magic ingredient. Building a child’s constitution takes patience: regular mealtimes, gentle encouragement around vegetables, and nutritious, easy-to-digest food. This Job’s tears and chicken broth is a good place to start. Bro Niu came across it on television and was taken by how practical it is — coix seeds form a naturally silky, porridge-like base; diced chicken adds protein; green peas or corn and goji berries make it colourful and appealing. It is mild, warming, and easy on a small stomach.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Well suited to children with poor appetite, low body weight, or a tendency to get sick often — particularly those with what Chinese medicine describes as a “spleen-deficient” constitution
• Suitable for babies and toddlers from around 12 months (adjust texture as needed)
• Adults can eat this too — the dish is simply good, everyday nourishing food for the whole family
• Raw Job’s tears are considered cooling and diuretic; using them in a cooked broth significantly moderates this quality. Children with very cold constitutions can mix raw and dry-roasted (cooked) yi mi equally

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Job’s tears / coix seeds (yi mi): One of the most commonly used grains in Chinese food therapy, associated with strengthening the spleen and draining dampness. Raw yi mi has a stronger diuretic quality; dry-roasted yi mi is gentler and warmer and more suitable for those with cold constitutions.
• Chicken: Warm in nature and rich in easily absorbed protein; traditionally considered excellent for warming the middle burner, nourishing qi, and building strength.
• Goji berries (gou qi zi): Sweet and nourishing to the liver and kidneys; also adds a naturally appealing colour that children tend to like.

Ingredients (2–3 child servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Job’s tears (yi mi)	1 liang (~37 g)	Soak in cold water for 2 hours
Chicken breast or thigh (skin-off)	1 piece (~150–200 g)	Dice and marinate
Green peas or sweet corn kernels	2 tablespoons
Goji berries	1 tablespoon	Rinse briefly
Fresh ginger	3 slices
Spring onion	1 stalk
Potato starch or cornstarch	1–2 teaspoons	For thickening
Salt and seasoning	To taste

Method

1. Dice the chicken into small cubes, removing the skin. Marinate with a pinch of salt and a little potato starch for 30 minutes.
2. Soak the Job’s tears in cold water for at least 2 hours. Rinse the goji berries briefly.
3. Add the soaked Job’s tears to a pot with 3 bowls of fresh water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes until the seeds are soft and the liquid is slightly thickened.
4. Blanch the diced chicken briefly in a separate pot of water with the ginger and spring onion — just until cooked through. Remove and add to the Job’s tears broth.
5. Add the green peas and corn kernels. Mix potato starch with a little cold water and stir into the broth to thicken to a smooth, silky consistency.
6. Stir in the goji berries. Bring back to a boil, adjust seasoning, and serve warm.

Bro Niu’s tips

If green peas and corn are not available or your child refuses them, finely chopped leafy greens like choy sum or kai lan work just as well. The goal is to gently introduce vegetables in a form the child will accept — hidden in a broth they enjoy. For children who are very picky, start with a small amount of vegetables mixed in and slowly increase over time. Patience and encouragement matter more than any single ingredient.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Partot): Should I use raw or cooked Job’s tears? What is the difference between raw, cooked, and pearl barley? Bro Niu: Raw Job’s tears have a stronger diuretic and dampness-draining quality; cooked (dry-roasted) yi mi is gentler and also strengthens the spleen, and is better for those with a cold constitution. For children, you can mix both equally. Pearl barley (Western barley) is different from yi mi and has a different nutritional profile.

• Q (anonymous): My four-year-old often catches colds and coughs. What soup can strengthen their resistance? Bro Niu: Try a soup with astragalus root (bei qi), saposhnikovia root (fang feng), and white atractylodes (bai zhu) — 3 qian each — with 2 slices of ginger and 6 red dates. Use 5 bowls of water and simmer down to 2 bowls. Drink twice a week; it helps build resistance against colds.

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Published December 7, 2013 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.