Soups
Huai Shan, Goji, Sea Cucumber & Dried Scallop Pork Shin Soup
Traditionally used to nourish kidney essence and support vitality
In short: Huai Shan, Goji, Sea Cucumber & Dried Scallop Pork Shin Soup is a soup that Traditionally used to nourish kidney essence and support vitality. It is most often made for digestive wellness, children's wellness, liver wellness. Total time about 2 hr 20 min. Key ingredients: rehydrated sea cucumber, chinese yam, goji berries, red dates.
Why people make this soup
Sea cucumber — prized in Chinese cuisine for centuries — is one of those rare ingredients that traditional food therapy considers beneficial for nearly everyone. It is high in protein, low in fat, and very low in cholesterol. What makes it particularly special in Chinese wellness thinking is the idea that it nourishes both yin and yang simultaneously — meaning it is warming enough for those who tend to feel cold, yet moistening enough for those who run hot. Nourilo pairs it with dried scallops for a savory depth, Chinese yam to ease digestion, and goji berries and red dates for gentle blood support. Together they create a rich, golden soup that feels genuinely restorative.
Method
- Soak the dried sea cucumber overnight in cold water until fully rehydrated and soft. Cut into bite-sized chunks. Blanch briefly in boiling water and drain.
- Soak the dried scallops in a small cup of water for about 30 minutes until softened; set aside the soaking water.
- Rinse the Chinese yam, goji berries, and red dates. Remove the date pits.
- Blanch the pork shin in boiling water for a few minutes, discard that water, and rinse the pork.
- Place all ingredients into a pot. Add enough water to cover generously (approximately 2.4 L).
- Bring to a boil over high heat, skim any foam from the surface, then reduce to a medium-low simmer.
- Cook for about 2 hours until the broth is rich and golden. Drink the soup and eat the sea cucumber and other solid ingredients.
Alternative: This soup can also be prepared in an electric slow-cooking pot (electric casserole). Steam or simmer on low for 2 hours.
Nourilo’s Tips
- Sea cucumber is rich in natural gelatin, which is traditionally associated with supporting smooth, elastic skin in women, and may benefit those concerned about bone density.
- Sea cucumber is slightly rich and can feel heavy if your digestion is sluggish. Those with a thick white tongue coating (a sign of dampness in Chinese medicine) should have a few lighter spleen-tonifying soups first, then start with just a small amount of sea cucumber in this recipe.
- Do not use too much sea cucumber per serving — a little goes a long way, and less is fine.
What studies say about the key ingredients
Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.
- Goji berries
Compared with placebo (n=80), the goji juice group (n=81) reported greater improvements in several self-rated symptoms, including stress, mental acuity, sleep quality and overall well-being, under a random effects model.Limitation: Outcomes were self-reported symptom questionnaires, and several symptoms showed significant heterogeneity across the four pooled trials of a single branded juice.PubMed 22897500 · 3 more goji berries studies - Red dates
Jujube was associated with significantly lower BMI and triglycerides, and lower fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. LDL and total cholesterol fell only in some subgroups. HDL, AST and ALT did not change significantly.Limitation: The authors state the overall quality of the evidence is limited, and results varied significantly by dose, treatment duration and disease type.PubMed 40399274 · 3 more red dates studies - Ginger
Overall, acute and delayed nausea and vomiting did not differ significantly between ginger and control groups. A subgroup taking 1 g/day or less for over four days had less acute vomiting (OR 0.30).Limitation: Clinical heterogeneity between trials required subgroup analyses, and the authors state that sufficiently large, high-quality RCTs are still needed.PubMed 36501010 · 3 more ginger studies
From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.
Safety first — read before you cook
This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
- take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
- have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.
Ingredient notes for this recipe
- Goji berries: A few cases of raised INR (a bleeding-risk marker) have been reported in people taking warfarin after drinking concentrated goji tea or wine. If you take a blood thinner, check with your doctor. Source: Memorial Sloan Kettering — Lycium
Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes
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