Dried Night-Blooming Cereus, Euryale Seed & Fig Soup with Lean Pork

Why people make this soup

Night-blooming cereus (霸王花, ba wang hua) has a gentle, pleasant fragrance and a mild cooling quality. In Chinese food therapy, it is commonly used to support the respiratory tract — traditionally said to ease phlegm, support the lungs, and promote healthy bowel function. The fresh flower is considered more cooling in nature, so Cantonese households almost always use the dried version, which is gentler and suitable for a wider range of people. By adding euryale seeds (qian shi), Nourilo rounds out the formula: the seeds are thought to tonify the spleen and support those prone to loose stools or weak digestion. The result is a soup that is mild enough for children and older adults, fragrant, and deeply comforting.

Method

1. Blanch the lean pork in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse.
2. Rinse the night-blooming cereus, euryale seeds, and figs.
3. Place all ingredients in a soup pot with 2.4 L of water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 hours.
5. Serve — eat the soup and the solid ingredients (including the euryale seeds and figs) for the full benefit.

Nourilo’s Tips

Euryale seeds (qian shi) are particularly helpful for people with a weak spleen or chronic loose stools — they add a gentle consolidating quality to this otherwise lung-clearing soup. You can add dried lily bulbs and goji berries to this soup without any problem. For a vegetarian version, replace the pork with peanuts or cashews. The soup serves 4 people when made with 2.4 L of water simmered down to 1.2 L.