Four Red Soup (Si Hong Tang)

Why people make this soup

Sometimes the best remedies are the simplest ones. This soup is built from four everyday seeds — all of them red, all of them available in almost any Asian grocery, and many Western health food stores too. It came up when readers asked Nourilo about food support after a young woman’s first period, and it turned out to be equally useful for a much wider group: anyone who has lost blood through surgery, or whose blood cell counts have taken a hit from cancer chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Because none of the four ingredients are strong medicinal herbs, the soup is considered mild enough for most patients to use, even those on medication. The taste is naturally sweet and pleasant — easy to eat even when appetite is poor.