Hai Yu Zhu, Goji and Three-Fruit Soup

Why people make this soup

When the air turns dry, Nourilo says skin naturally follows — turning dry and prone to cracking, especially on the hands and heels. Beyond moisturisers, a soup that moistens from the inside helps even more. This one — sea polygonatum with goji, pear, apple, figs and red dates — is traditionally used to support the lungs and complexion, moisten dryness, generate fluids and keep the bowels easy. The source links it to a sallow complexion, rough skin, a dry, scratchy throat, and a tendency to constipation.

Method

1. Soak and rinse the herbs. Rinse the pear and apple, then cut into chunks and remove the cores.
2. Add everything to a pot with 1.8 L of water.
3. Simmer about 1 hour, down to about 1.2 L.

Nourilo’s Tips

Sea polygonatum (hai yu zhu) is a type of huang jing, similar in action to ordinary polygonatum but more fragrant and without the sour taste; it costs a little more than ordinary yu zhu. Store it in the fridge (not the freezer), where it keeps about a year. A genuinely good piece is fragrant — if it tastes sour, it has spoiled, so don’t use it. This soup suits all ages.