Watercress, Monk Fruit (Luo Han Guo) and Carrot Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

That stubborn cough that hangs around for weeks after a cold — with phlegm that won’t quite shift and a throat that stays scratchy — is one of the most common reasons Cantonese households reach for this particular soup. Tang ge cai (sometimes called wild watercress or pond cress) is a versatile wild herb with an interesting dual nature in Chinese herbal texts: some sources describe it as warming, others as cooling — which might seem contradictory. Nourilo’s view is that its properties depend on what it is paired with: cooked with fresh ginger and spring onion it addresses wind-cold colds; with white radish it suits wind-heat colds and hot lung phlegm; with fresh corn silk it addresses damp-heat conditions. In today’s recipe, paired with monk fruit and carrot for a pleasant, naturally sweet broth, it targets the post-cold phlegm and cough that can drag on after the main illness has passed. Monk fruit (luo han guo) is also increasingly well-known in the West as a natural sweetener — but in Chinese food therapy its primary role is as a cooling, throat-soothing, phlegm-clearing herb. The golden (jin) variety has been gently dried at low temperature to preserve more of its beneficial compounds.

Method

1. Remove roots and any yellow leaves from the watercress; wash thoroughly and cut into 5–6 cm sections. Set aside — do not add yet.
2. Break open the monk fruit shell and rinse the flesh and seeds; this is easier to do with your hands over the pot.
3. Peel the carrot and cut into large chunks.
4. Blanch the lean pork in boiling water for 2 minutes; drain and rinse.
5. Add the lean pork, carrot, and monk fruit to a pot with 2.4 L of water. Bring to a rolling boil.
6. Once the pot is boiling, add the watercress sections.
7. Return to a boil, then reduce to a medium-low simmer and cook for 1.5 hours until the liquid reduces to 0.9–1.2 L.
8. Serve warm; eat the ingredients together with the soup.

Nourilo’s Tips

The key technique here is to wait until the water is fully boiling before adding the watercress — adding it to cold or lukewarm water will cause the soup to develop a bitter, astringent taste. This soup has a pleasant, moistening quality and is suitable as a regular family soup. It is also very helpful for chronic bronchitis and sore, inflamed throats.