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.

Method

1. Gently rinse the night jasmine flowers and set aside — they will be added at the very end.
2. Wash the winter melon and cut into large chunks, leaving the skin on.
3. Slice the lean pork into thick pieces. Blanch the pork and dried duck gizzard together in boiling water for 1–2 minutes; drain and rinse.
4. Place the winter melon, duck gizzard, and pork into a pot with 2.4–2.7 L of water (about 2–2.2 litres). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 hours until the broth reduces to about 1.5 L.
5. Add the night jasmine flowers and bring back to a boil for 5 minutes only — do not cook the flowers longer or their fragrance will be lost.
6. Serve immediately, eating the solid ingredients with the broth.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup has a clean, delicately savoury flavour and is enjoyable for all ages. The key technique is to add the night jasmine only at the very end and to cook them briefly — prolonged heat destroys both the aroma and the beneficial properties. This is an excellent soup for the height of summer, and people who are managing blood pressure or metabolic concerns may find it especially useful as a regular part of their diet.