Five-Finger Grass, Old Mulberry Twig & Double-Vine Soup

Why people make this soup

Most of us live with a phone in one hand and a mouse in the other — and our wrists and thumbs are paying the price. In Chinese, the condition known as “mama’s hand” (De Quervain’s tenosynovitis) has spread well beyond new mothers: it now affects anyone who spends long hours swiping, clicking, or doing repetitive hand work. Traditional Cantonese food therapy turns to vine-family herbs for these kinds of complaints, because vines are flexible, sprawling things that travel along channels — and in the logic of Chinese medicine, they are thought to do the same thing inside the body, moving qi and blood through the sinews. This soup brings together two such vine herbs alongside mulberry twig (the classic upper-limb herb) and five-finger grass for a broth that, at minimum, is warm, nourishing, and comforting when your hands are aching.

Method

1. Rinse all herbs and soak briefly.
2. Blanch the pork shin: cut into chunks, place in cold water, bring to a boil, drain, and rinse.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady medium simmer for 1.5 hours, until the liquid reduces to about 1.2 L.
5. Serve warm. The pork and chestnuts are good to eat alongside the broth.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup has a mild herbal note and is quite pleasant to drink — it also benefits those with rheumatic bone pain. Take 3 consecutive servings (every other day) and see if your discomfort improves. Remember: the herbs can only do so much. Resting the affected hand, reducing phone scrolling, and avoiding the repetitive posture that caused the problem in the first place is the essential first step. For pregnancy: this soup is not suitable — please skip it.