Soups
Purslane and Single-Clove Garlic Soup
Traditionally used to clear heat and support a healthy gut
Why people make this soup
Purslane is a humble wild green that, in the traditional view, is associated with cooling the system and acting as a kind of “cleanser” for the gut. In spring and summer, when bacteria multiply and undercooked food is an easy way to upset the stomach, a bowl of this tender, slightly tart soup is a comforting, gentle choice. Purslane is available at Chinese or Asian grocers, or online — look for plump, firm stems and bright green leaves.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People looking for a light, cooling summer soup; traditionally also considered helpful for those watching the “three highs” (blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol).
- Avoid if you are prone to diarrhea or loose, watery stools — purslane is cooling and can make this worse.
- Do not use during pregnancy.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Purslane (ma chi xian): Traditionally regarded as cooling — said to clear “heart fire” and “lung heat” and to act as a cleanser for the intestines. Blanching first softens its sour, slightly bitter edge and reduces oxalates.
- Single-clove garlic (du zi suan): Prized for an especially strong pungency; traditionally considered more potent than ordinary multi-clove garlic and is associated with settling the gut.
Ingredients (3–4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Purslane (ma chi xian) | ~150 g (4 liang) | Roots removed, washed, cut into segments |
| Purple single-clove garlic | 4 bulbs | Peeled and sliced |
| Water | 4 bowls |
Method
- Trim the roots off the purslane, wash it well, and cut into segments. Peel and slice the garlic.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop in the purslane, blanch for 1 minute, then lift it out and rinse under cool water (this tames the sour-bitter taste and lowers oxalates).
- Bring 4 bowls of fresh water to a boil. Add the garlic slices and the blanched purslane.
- Boil for 10 minutes. Eat the soup together with the greens and garlic.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is light and fragrant and is traditionally considered helpful for those with the “three highs.” If you are cooking for more people, you can add a little lean pork to the pot. Remember: anyone who easily gets loose stools or diarrhea should skip it, and it must be avoided during pregnancy.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (reader): My little one is one and a half. After a bout of influenza A and finishing the Western medicine, there is still a bit of a cough and a runny nose. What can I cook? And once that clears up, what can I make to build up resistance? Bro Niu: For a lingering cough and runny nose you can simmer a perilla-and-ginger sugar tea — 3 qian (about 9 g) perilla leaf, 3 slices fresh ginger, a little rock sugar, boiled for 5 minutes. Once there is no fever, you can use 3 qian (about 9 g) tiger-milk mushroom (hu ru ling zhi), 1 liang (about 40 g) of mixed sweet and bitter apricot kernels (nan bei xing), and 4 figs to make a soup with frozen partridge — the whole family can drink it to help strengthen lung qi and reduce infections. Half a silkie chicken can stand in for the partridge. (Note: bitter apricot kernels must be the properly prepared culinary type and well cooked.)
- Q (Cyrus): For soups, some people say honey dates cause phlegm — can I use longan (yuan rou) instead to add a little sweetness? Bro Niu: Honey dates are used to balance ingredients that are too heating or too cooling; you can swap in southern dates (nan zao) or red dates instead, but keep it to 3–4 pieces. Longan supports the mind and nourishes the blood, but it is warming and drying and can cause “heatiness,” so don’t add too much at once.
Published March 1, 2026 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
