Longan, American Ginseng and Fu Shen Sweet Soup

Why people make this soup

We all know someone who frets, broods and replays worries that may never come true. In traditional thinking this points to the heart and spleen being depleted, leaving the mind unsettled. This soup is traditionally used to support qi and blood, nourish the heart and calm the mind, and it is often chosen by people who feel tired and dizzy and cannot settle into restful sleep. It is a gentle, supportive everyday helper — for anything serious, food therapy is a companion to, not a replacement for, proper medical care.

Method

1. Put the longan flesh, fu shen and sour jujube seed in a pot with 1.5 L of water.
2. Simmer down to about 600 ml.
3. Add the American ginseng slices and sugar.
4. Boil briefly until dissolved, then serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is sweet and pleasant, and traditionally helpful for nervous exhaustion and poor sleep. But do not take it if you have internal heat or an unresolved cold. You may use rock sugar or slab sugar in place of white sugar for an even better result.