Longan, Ophiopogon and Lily Bulb Sweet Soup

Why people make this sweet soup

Modern urban life — relentless pressure, disrupted sleep, and emotions that never quite find their outlet — has a way of turning chronic irritability into a background hum. In traditional Chinese medicine thinking, sustained emotional stress can cause liver qi stagnation, which over time generates heat, and that heat disturbs the heart-mind (shen), leading to restlessness, palpitations, and insomnia. This three-ingredient sweet soup is Bro Niu’s gentle answer to that pattern. Longan flesh nourishes the blood and anchors the spirit; ophiopogon root cools the system and moistens; lily bulb calms the nerves and supports the lungs. Together, they make a soothing sweet soup that can be eaten morning and evening — a small act of care that takes less than an hour to prepare.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Well suited for those who feel anxious, irritable, or emotionally fatigued; people experiencing palpitations, night sweats, or poor sleep
• Also traditionally used during menopause for hot flushes and sweating
• Pause during colds or any active illness — this is a nourishing, tonic soup and should not be taken when the body is fighting an infection
• Pregnant women should substitute 6 red dates (nan zao) for the longan flesh — longan is warming and is generally avoided during pregnancy
• If you have a sore throat or active heat condition, wait until recovered before drinking this
• Those with yin deficiency and excess fire: substitute red dates for longan, as longan can be too warming

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Longan flesh (gui yuan rou): Rich and sweet; traditionally considered one of the best ingredients for nourishing blood, calming the heart, and anchoring the spirit — often used for palpitations, forgetfulness, and poor sleep caused by blood deficiency
• Ophiopogon root (mai dong): A cooling, moistening herb-food; traditionally used to nourish yin, clear empty heat, support heart and lung function, and generate fluids; particularly useful where dryness and irritability are present
• Lily bulb (bai he): Traditionally associated with calming the mind and “quieting the spirit” (an shen); moistening for the lungs and helpful for the emotional restlessness and anxiety that manifest as difficulty falling or staying asleep

Ingredients (2 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Longan flesh (gui yuan rou)	10 pieces	Dried; available at Chinese grocery stores. Substitute 6 red dates if pregnant or with excess fire
Ophiopogon root (mai dong)	~38 g (1 liang)	At Chinese herbal shops
Fresh lily bulb (xian bai he)	~38 g (1 liang)	Or 5 qian (~20 g) dried lily bulb
Rock sugar	To taste

Method

1. Rinse the longan flesh and ophiopogon root.
2. Place the longan flesh and ophiopogon root in a pot with 4 bowls of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add the lily bulb (fresh or dried) and rock sugar.
5. Continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.
6. Serve warm — drink the soup and eat all the ingredients. One bowl in the morning and one in the evening.

Bro Niu’s tips

This sweet soup nourishes blood and calms the spirit. Morning and evening, one bowl each — a gentle, consistent approach is how food therapy works best. Remember to pause during any cold or illness, and if you tend toward yin deficiency with heat, swap longan for red dates for a less warming effect.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Fiona): I tend toward yin deficiency with excess fire and easily get irritable — is it okay to use longan, or should I swap it for red dates? Bro Niu: Yes, swap the longan for 6 red dates (nan zao). Longan nourishes blood and calms the spirit but is somewhat warming — for yin deficiency with excess fire, red dates are better.

• Q (may): I have throat inflammation — can I drink this sweet soup? Bro Niu: With throat inflammation, you should skip this one for now. Instead, steep luo han guo (monk fruit) and a salted olive (xian gan lan) in hot water as a tea — that will be more appropriate.

• Q (小猫子): I am 34 years old, have been on medication for bipolar disorder for 7 years, and have been experiencing poor concentration, forgetfulness, and increasingly grey hair mainly on the sides of my head. Is there anything to help? Bro Niu: Try a soup of American ginseng, longan flesh, poria with heart (fu shen), and stone calamus (shi chang pu) — 3 qian each — and mother-of-pearl (zhen zhu mu) 1 liang, simmered in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls, taken 3 batches, and 2 to 3 times a week if it helps. For the grey hair, try a commercial instant powder of he shou wu (fo-ti), black sesame, and walnut — one sachet every other day, for 2 to 3 boxes, and see if there is improvement.

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Published December 27, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.