Wormwood Herb, Chayote and Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

There is a pattern of feeling that many urban dwellers recognise: waking up already tired, dragging through the afternoon, feeling full and bloated long after meals, and wanting to nap at any opportunity. In the framework of traditional Chinese food therapy, this constellation of symptoms is often described as “spleen deficiency with dampness and liver heat.” Nourilo came across a recipe featuring wormwood herb (mian yin chen) on a Beijing health programme and decided to try it himself. His verdict: despite mian yin chen’s reputation for strong, bitter flavour, this soup turned out surprisingly fragrant and drinkable — barely herbal at all when paired with chayote and ginger.