Soups
Glehnia and Solomon's Seal Lung-Nourishing Soup
traditionally used to nourish lung yin and support recovery from lingering cough
Why people make this soup
After recovering from a respiratory illness, many people find that the cough and phlegm just will not fully clear up. The lungs feel dry and irritated, and the cough lingers particularly at night. This soup has long been made in Cantonese households for exactly this situation — glehnia root and Solomon’s seal are both considered in traditional food therapy to clear residual heat from the lungs and restore moisture, while the combination of pear, apple, lily bulb, and apricot kernels adds a gentle nourishing quality. It is especially useful in the dry autumn season when the air itself depletes lung moisture.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suited to adults and children recovering from respiratory illness with lingering dry cough or phlegm, and to anyone feeling lung dryness in autumn.
- Suitable for pregnant women (a reader confirmed this with Bro Niu).
- Can be made savoury (add lean pork) or sweet (add a little rock sugar) — either version works.
- Those with an active, acute fever should wait until the fever has passed before drinking tonifying soups.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Glehnia root (sha shen): Traditionally used to clear lung heat and nourish lung yin, particularly associated with dry cough and sore throat after illness.
- Solomon’s seal (yu zhu): Classically paired with sha shen; thought to nourish stomach and lung fluids and relieve dry throat.
- Asian pear (xue li): A well-known culinary remedy for dry cough; traditionally considered to moisten the lungs and clear heat.
- Apple: Adds natural sweetness and gentle moisture; used alongside pear for flavour balance.
- Lily bulb (bai he): Traditionally associated with calming the mind and nourishing lung and heart yin.
- Apricot kernels (nan bei xing, mixed): Classically used to descend lung qi and support the relief of cough and phlegm.
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Glehnia root (sha shen) | 5 qian (~19 g) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| Solomon’s seal (yu zhu) | 5 qian (~19 g) | Rinse and soak; can substitute sea yu zhu (hai yu zhu) at the same amount |
| Apple | 2 medium | Soak in lightly salted water, scrub to remove pesticides, core and cut into chunks |
| Asian pear (snow pear) | 2 medium | Same preparation as apple; pear can be substituted with dried pear slices (~10–12 pieces) |
| Dried lily bulb (bai he) | 1 liang (~38 g) | Rinse and soak |
| Sweet and bitter apricot kernels (nan bei xing) | 1 liang (~38 g) | Rinse |
| Water | 8 bowls (~1.6 L) | — |
Method
- Soak and rinse sha shen, yu zhu, bai he, and apricot kernels separately.
- Soak apples and pears in lightly salted water; scrub, rinse, core, and cut into chunks.
- Combine all ingredients in a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium-low simmer for about 1.5 hours until the liquid reduces to 4–5 bowls.
- Serve warm; eat the fruit and soft ingredients along with the soup.
- Optional: for a sweet version, add a little rock sugar in the last few minutes; for a savoury version, add lean pork from the start.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is gentle and suits all constitutions — children, the elderly, and pregnant women can all enjoy it. If you want a slightly more refined result, you can double-boil (stew) this soup for 2 hours instead. Adding a little aged tangerine peel (chen pi) alongside the other ingredients helps with phlegm if the cough is wet. For those who cannot find fresh pears, 10–12 pieces of dried pear work well. You can add 3 qian of mai dong (ophiopogon root) if the dry nighttime cough is prominent. Aim for 3–4 portions per week during recovery; once the cough resolves, this soup still makes a wonderful seasonal tonic.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (reader): How many servings does this recipe make? Bro Niu: This recipe makes approximately 3–4 servings.
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Q (Venus): Our whole family recovered from illness but my husband and I still have persistent cough with a feeling of phlegm stuck in the throat. Is there a soup that could help? Bro Niu: You can try a soup of fa xia (4 qian), fu ling (5 qian), bai zhu (5 qian), chen pi (3 qian), and gan cao (2 qian) simmered with lean pork in 7 bowls of water for 1 hour to yield 4 bowls — the whole family can drink it. After improving, switch to this sha shen yu zhu soup for ongoing support.
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Q (Cherry): Can I substitute sea Solomon’s seal (hai yu zhu) for regular yu zhu, and how much should I use? Bro Niu: Yes, you can use hai yu zhu — use 5 qian in place of regular yu zhu. If your child still has a cough with yellow phlegm, try simplifying to 3–4 snow pears plus 1 piece of chen pi, simmered together — the whole family can drink that version.
Published September 1, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
