Night Jasmine, Winter Melon and Dried Duck Gizzard Soup

Why people make this soup

Night jasmine (ye xiang hua) is a climbing vine with clusters of small, intensely fragrant flowers that perfume the evening air across Southeast Asia. The blossoms are edible and prized in Cantonese cooking — whether tossed quickly in a hot wok with eggs, or added at the last moment to a simmering broth. In traditional food therapy, night jasmine is associated with dispersing heat, supporting digestive harmony, and nourishing the eyes — making it a thoughtful choice for anyone who spends long hours in front of screens.

Pairing the flowers with winter melon (which is considered cooling and helpful for fluid balance) and the deeply savoury dried duck gizzard — a classic Cantonese soup ingredient that lends a rich, rounded flavour — produces a broth that is both delicious and gently therapeutic. This is a popular soup for the warm months, when sluggish digestion, poor appetite, and redness in the eyes are most common.