Soups
Chinese Yam, Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, Codonopsis and Longan Soup
Traditionally used to calm the mind and support restful sleep
Why people make this soup
Bro Niu likes to remind people that good sleep is not only about how many hours you log — it is about depth. The simple test: if you wake up clear-headed, energetic and comfortable, with no lingering tiredness, your sleep quality is good. Food therapy can genuinely help with restless nights, and this is one of his favourite gentle soups for it. With ingredients traditionally said to nourish the heart and calm the mind, it is mild enough to take regularly as a home remedy.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits those with a restless, “fidgety” kind of sleeplessness; gentle enough for regular family use.
- Do not take it while a cold or flu is still unresolved.
- It is mildly warming — if you tend toward a dry, “yin-deficient” constitution and feel a dry mouth or throat after drinking it, ease back. The red dates and longan are the warming parts; use less, or swap red dates for nan zao (black-dried dates).
- For very young children, go easy on the more tonic herbs (codonopsis, longan).
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Chinese yam, lotus seed (huai shan, lian zi): traditionally support the spleen and steady the system, a calm base for the soup.
- Lily bulb (bai he): traditionally associated with soothing the mind and easing restlessness.
- Codonopsis (dang shen): a gentle qi tonic traditionally used to nourish and build strength.
- Longan flesh & red dates (yuan rou, hong zao): traditionally nourish the blood and the heart-mind, the part that supports calmer sleep.
- Dried tangerine peel (chen pi): keeps the soup from feeling heavy and helps the qi move.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese yam (huai shan) | ~38 g | |
| Lotus seed (lian zi) | ~38 g | |
| Lily bulb (bai he) | ~38 g | |
| Codonopsis (dang shen) | ~11 g | |
| Dried longan flesh (yuan rou) | ~19 g | |
| Dried tangerine peel (chen pi) | 1 piece | |
| Red dates (hong zao) | 6–8, pitted | Or swap for nan zao if you run warm |
Method
- Rinse and briefly soak all the ingredients.
- Put everything into a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 2 hours down to roughly 4 bowls.
- Serve, eating the soup together with the softened ingredients.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup works equally well savoury or sweet: for a sweet version add rock sugar; for a savoury one cook it with chicken or lean pork. It is especially helpful for restless, anxious sleeplessness — but again, do not take it while a cold or flu is still hanging around. Note that this is a soup that must be properly simmered to draw out its benefits; just steeping the ingredients in a flask of hot water will not do it. If you want a quick steeped version instead, use 1 tablespoon each of sour jujube seed (chao zao ren), arborvitae seed (bai zi ren) and longan, rinse, pour over boiling water and steep 15 minutes; you can top it up until it tastes light.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (reader): Will the red dates make this soup too warming/heaty? Bro Niu: Red dates and longan are both a little warming and drying, so you can use a smaller amount, and you can swap the red dates for nan zao (black-dried dates).
- Q (reader): Can this be drunk just as a steeped flask tea? Bro Niu: This soup really must be properly simmered for the benefits to come out — steeping in a flask will not work. If you want a steeping tea instead, use 1 tablespoon each of sour jujube seed, arborvitae seed and longan, rinse, add boiling water and steep 15 minutes; drink for a few days to help with sleep.
- Q (Lou Lou): My child often has trouble sleeping, so I made this soup for him and drank half a cup myself, but at bedtime my throat and mouth felt dry — does that mean it does not suit me? Bro Niu: This soup is warming, and you may be a bit yin-deficient, so it made you feel heaty. Try instead lotus seed with the core (~38 g), lily bulb (~38 g), rush pith (deng xin cao, 6 bundles) and fu shen (~19 g) in 6 bowls of water simmered down to 2; you and your child take one bowl each, for 3 doses — this helps clear heart-heat, calm the mind and support sleep.
Published January 9, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
