Fresh Dendrobium, Goji Berry, Carrot and Chicken Liver Soup

Why people make this soup

If you spend your days staring at a computer screen, work late into the night, or simply feel that your eyes tire more quickly than they used to, this soup is the kind of thing Nourilo reaches for. Fresh dendrobium — once so scarce it could only be gathered from cliffsides — is now cultivated widely and is wonderfully accessible. Combined with goji berries, carrot, and chicken liver, it creates a broth that is light yet deeply nourishing, traditionally prized for its association with supporting the liver and keeping the eyes bright.

Method

1. Rinse the fresh dendrobium stem and cut into short sections about 3 cm long.
2. Soak and rinse the goji berries.
3. Peel the carrot and cut into large chunks.
4. Rinse the chicken livers thoroughly. Blanch them briefly in boiling water, drain, and set aside.
5. Combine all ingredients in a pot with 1.8 L of water.
6. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
7. Serve — eat the solids along with the soup for full benefit.

Nourilo’s Tips

This is a gently flavoured, delicious soup that suits young and old alike. When buying chicken livers, look for a firm, reddish-brown colour — that is the sign of a healthy liver. Fresh dendrobium is stocked by larger Chinese herbal shops and is now quite reasonably priced. If you cannot find fresh dendrobium, you can substitute 11 g (11 g) of dried dendrobium. If liver is not to your taste, swap it out for one corn cob — it still does your eyes a world of good.