Night Jasmine, Wolfberry, Carrot and Pork Liver Soup

Why people make this soup

Night jasmine (ye xiang hua) is a climbing vine with highly fragrant flowers, available at Chinese or Asian grocers in small boxes or bundles. The flower buds — especially the plump, tightly closed ones that have not yet opened — have a delicate aroma and a pleasant taste whether simmered in broth or stir-fried with egg. In traditional food therapy, the plant is considered helpful for clearing stagnation from the liver and improving the eyes. Combined with wolfberries and carrot (both long associated with eye health in both Eastern and Western nutrition), and bolstered by pork liver which is genuinely rich in vitamin A and iron, this soup quietly delivers a concentrated dose of nutrients in a very drinkable, pleasant-tasting form. The bonus benefit: it is traditionally said to freshen breath and clear that stale taste people sometimes notice after long hours in a mask.