Soups
Dragon-Tongue Leaf and Shihuangpi Soup
Traditionally used to clear phlegm and calm a cough
In short: Dragon-Tongue Leaf and Shihuangpi Soup is a soup that Traditionally used to clear phlegm and calm a cough. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, sleep & calm. Total time about 45 min. Key ingredients: sweet and bitter apricot kernels.
Why people make this soup
When the weather keeps flip-flopping and the air turns hazy, folks with weaker lungs often feel that tight, scratchy throat and start bringing up phlegm. Fresh dragon-tongue leaf and the hillside herb shihuangpi, simmered with a little sugared winter melon and apricot kernels, produce a fragrant, lightly sweet soup that goes down like a tea. It is the kind of pot people keep on hand to head off a cough before it digs in. Fresh dragon-tongue leaf is available at Chinese or Asian grocers; dried is sold at Chinese herb shops.
Safety first — read before you cook
This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
- take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
- have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.
Ingredient notes for this recipe
- Apricot kernels: Raw apricot kernels contain amygdalin, which turns into cyanide after eating. EFSA estimates that half of one small raw kernel can exceed the safe level for a toddler. Use no more than the recipe states, never eat them raw, and do not serve them to young children. Source: European Food Safety Authority
Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes
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