Watercress, Carrot, Dried Duck Gizzard & Pork Bone Soup

Why people make this soup

Watercress (xi yang cai) has peak season in spring and early summer, and Cantonese families have long considered it one of the finest vegetables for clearing heat from the lungs. When you have been eating too much fried or grilled food and find yourself feeling hot, irritable, and coughing with a dry or phlegmy sensation, this soup is the traditional go-to remedy. The key technique is to add the watercress only when the broth is already boiling — adding it too early can make the soup taste bitter and astringent. Cooked for the right amount of time with dried duck gizzard (a digestive tonic) and carrot (which supports the bowel), this soup becomes a genuine all-round family broth: clear, sweet, nourishing, and safe even for pregnant women.