Soups
Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, Longan and Silkie Chicken Soup
traditionally associated with nourishing the blood, supporting restful sleep and easing fatigue
Why people make this soup
As autumn deepens and mornings start with a chill, this is the soup Cantonese families reach for. It is the kind of pot that warms you from the inside — not just physically, but emotionally. In traditional Chinese food therapy, silkie chicken (wu ji, literally “black-boned chicken”) is considered more medicinally valuable than regular chicken: darker in colour, richer in certain minerals, and associated with nourishing the liver, kidneys and blood. Combined with the classic sleep-supporting trio of lotus seeds, lily bulb and longan flesh, alongside nourishing red dates, this is a soup with real purpose and genuine warmth. Bro Niu recommends it for anyone feeling persistently tired, mentally foggy, pale, or struggling to sleep well.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for most adults as an autumn and winter tonic
- Particularly associated with easing persistent fatigue, pale complexion, poor sleep and poor memory
- Do not drink during colds, flu, fever, or when experiencing heavy dampness — the warming, tonifying ingredients can aggravate these conditions
- Pregnant women should replace longan flesh (yuan rou) with goji berries (gou qi zi), as longan is too warming during pregnancy
- Longan, red dates and silkie chicken are all warming — those with a hot constitution or who tend to feel internal heat should drink in moderation
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Lotus seeds (lian zi): Associated with nourishing the heart and calming the spirit, as well as supporting the spleen and stomach. A classic ingredient in soups designed to ease insomnia and anxious thoughts.
- Dried lily bulb (bai he): Moistening and calming — traditionally associated with calming the heart, clearing heat and easing emotional restlessness or anxiety that interferes with sleep.
- Longan flesh (yuan rou): One of the most cherished tonics in Chinese food therapy for nourishing the heart and spleen, calming the mind and replenishing the blood. Warming — pregnant women should substitute goji berries.
- Red dates (hong zao): Warm and sweet, nourishing the blood and harmonising all the other ingredients in the soup.
- Silkie chicken (wu ji): Considered more nourishing than regular chicken in traditional food therapy — darker bones and meat contain higher mineral content. Associated with nourishing yin, clearing internal heat, supporting the liver and kidneys, and strengthening the spleen and stomach.
- Ginger: Adds warmth and helps the spleen and stomach absorb the nourishment.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dried lotus seeds | 1 liang (~37 g) | Rinse and soak |
| Dried lily bulb | 1 liang (~37 g) | Rinse and soak |
| Dried longan flesh | 5 qian (~19 g) | Use goji berries instead if pregnant |
| Fresh ginger | 3 slices | |
| Red dates | 6 pieces | Pit |
| Silkie chicken | half | Chop into large pieces, blanch |
| Water | 8 bowls (~2 L) |
Method
- Rinse and soak lotus seeds and lily bulbs for 30 minutes.
- Pit the red dates.
- Chop the silkie chicken into large pieces and blanch briefly in boiling water to remove impurities. Drain.
- Place all ingredients into a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a medium-low simmer and cook for about 1.5 hours until the liquid reduces to about 4 bowls.
- Serve with both the soup and the cooked ingredients — the chicken and lotus seeds are excellent to eat.
Bro Niu’s tips
This is a rich, deeply nourishing soup — not one to drink every day, but wonderful 2–3 times per week through the cooler months. Because longan, red dates and silkie chicken are all warming in nature, do not drink this during a cold, fever, or when you are already feeling hot or heavy with dampness — the warmth will make things worse, not better. Pregnant women should swap the longan flesh for goji berries, which provide nourishment without the excessive warming effect.
Community questions answered (selected)
-
Q (Yi): I want my child to sleep more soundly. What soup can I make? Bro Niu: You can use xiao mai mi (wheat berries, 1 liang), fu shen (poria with wood, 5 qian), bai he (lily bulb, 1 liang), lian zi (lotus seeds, 1 liang), deng xin cao (rush pith, 3 qian) and red dates (5 pieces) in a pork soup — 8 bowls of water, simmer for 1.5 hours. The whole family can drink this. 2 servings per week — associated with clearing heart fire and calming the spirit.
-
Q (reader): Can I leave out the lean pork and serve this as a sweet dessert soup? Bro Niu: You can leave out the lean pork and add rock sugar to make a sweet soup.
-
Q (蓝蓝, 33 weeks pregnant): I have blood in my nasal passages recently. What soup or sweet can help? Bro Niu: Try simmering mao gen (imperata root, 1 bunch) and lian ou jie (lotus root nodes, 3 pieces) in water for 20 minutes and drinking the liquid — associated with helping stop minor bleeding.
Published October 22, 2020 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
