Purslane and Lean Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

Eczema flares in hot, humid weather. When the heat rises, sweating increases, and for people prone to eczema, that moisture on the skin becomes a fertile environment for microbes, itching and — if the skin gets broken — potential infection. Purslane (ma chi xian) is a succulent wild herb that appears at Chinese herbal stalls and farmers’ markets each summer. It has a long history in Chinese folk medicine as a cooling, damp-clearing ingredient, and is used for everything from skin inflammation and oozing sores to urinary tract infections and bacterial dysentery. Modern nutritional research has found it to be exceptionally rich in omega-3 fatty acids for a plant — which may partly explain its anti-inflammatory reputation. In this soup, it is paired simply with ginger-seasoned lean pork for a light, easy preparation that can be on the table in half an hour.