Soups
Tiger Milk Mushroom, Lily Bulb, Almond and Francolin Soup
Traditionally nourishes the lungs and restores vitality after illness
Why people make this soup
After recovering from a respiratory illness, many people find they are still easily winded after walking a short distance, or they cough persistently even though the infection is long gone. The lungs take time to fully recover, and that is exactly the window where food therapy can make a real difference. Bro Niu put together this soup during the COVID pandemic as a practical, broadly safe option for the whole family — people who had been ill and needed genuine support, and those who simply wanted to keep their lungs strong as a preventive measure. The soup has almost no medicinal bitterness; it is clean, gently sweet, and genuinely palatable.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for anyone recovering from a respiratory illness (cold, flu, COVID, bronchitis) who still has a cough, low energy, or mild breathlessness
- Good for children and adults alike; the whole family can share this pot
- Pregnant women can drink this soup — francolin and all the listed ingredients are safe during pregnancy
- Not suitable during active fever, active cold/flu with symptoms — wait until the acute phase has passed
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Tiger milk mushroom (hu ru ling zhi): A mushroom prized in Southeast Asian traditional medicine; associated with supporting lung and bronchial health, reducing cough, and strengthening overall constitution — distinctly different from common reishi (ling zhi) in flavour and application
- Lily bulb (bai he): One of the classic lung-moistening ingredients in Chinese food therapy; associated with calming the mind, clearing mild heart fire, and relieving dry cough or residual irritation after illness
- Apricot kernels (nan bei xing): Sweet south kernels (nan xing) moisten the lungs; bitter north kernels (bei xing) are more potent in relieving cough but contain a small amount of naturally occurring compounds, so amounts are kept moderate. A 60:40 south-to-north ratio is suggested.
- Francolin (zhe gu): A small game bird considered the traditional pair for lung-nourishing soups; it tonifies the five organs, calms the mind, dissolves phlegm, and unlike regular chicken, is nourishing without being overly warming
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tiger milk mushroom (hu ru ling zhi) | 18 g (5 qian) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| Fresh lily bulb (bai he) | 37 g (1 liang) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| South and north apricot kernels (nan bei xing) | 37 g (1 liang) combined | Rinse |
| Fresh ginger | 3 slices | |
| Frozen francolin or silkie chicken | 1 whole bird | Cleaned, cut into large pieces; blanched |
Method
- Rinse tiger milk mushroom, lily bulb, and apricot kernels separately; soak briefly in cold water.
- Clean and cut the francolin (or silkie chicken) into large pieces; blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse.
- Place all ingredients in a soup pot with 8–9 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 2 hours until reduced to about 4 bowls.
- Serve warm. The soup ingredients can also be eaten.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is gentle enough for all ages and is clear and nourishing rather than heavy. If serving more people or wanting extra benefits for bronchitis or a phlegmy cough, you can add some snow fungus (xue er) and a few dried figs. If tiger milk mushroom is unavailable, substitute glehnia root (sha shen) and Solomon’s seal (yu zhu), about 18 g each — or use a small piece of snow fungus. Do not serve to anyone with a fever or active cold.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Kay): My husband had a cold and is still coughing non-stop with white phlegm, worst at night. What should I make? Bro Niu: Night-time coughing with white phlegm is a cold-type cough. Try simmering 2 qian of perilla leaf (zi su ye), 3–4 slices of ginger, and a little brown sugar in 3 bowls of water for 5 minutes — drink warm, for three consecutive servings. For the whole family, use 2 liang of fresh dragon tongue leaf (xian long li ye), 2 cored apples, 1 liang of apricot kernels, and 2 pieces of tangerine peel simmered into a pork broth for 1 hour.
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Q (Wanwan): My four-year-old had a serious lung infection with high fever of 40 degrees for five days, and now has mild asthma-like coughing even though the fever is gone. Can this soup help? Bro Niu: Yes, this soup is suitable for the recovery phase with cough and breathlessness. Adding about 37 g of walnut meat would make it even better. Francolin or crocodile meat are both beneficial — but do not serve during active fever.
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Q (Xiao Qing): My husband recovered from COVID and his constitution completely changed — he used to run hot and now he is always cold, pale, and tired, especially in winter. What would you suggest? Bro Niu: This tiger milk mushroom francolin soup is very suitable for him. Since he now feels cold, add codonopsis root (dang shen) and astragalus (bei qi), about 11 g each, along with 5 red dates. The whole family can drink it — aim for two to three times a week until symptoms improve.
Published March 24, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
