Agaricus, Lion's Mane & Tea Tree Mushroom Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

Nourilo picked up these three prized mushrooms on a trip to the dried-seafood market while shopping for Lunar New Year provisions. Agaricus (ji song rong), lion’s mane (hou tou gu), and tea tree mushroom (cha shu gu) are all individually recognised for their food-therapy value; together in one pot they make a soup that is genuinely special. The flavour is rich and earthy without being heavy, and the combination is traditionally valued for building up someone who has been depleted — whether by illness, overwork, surgery, or just the cumulative fatigue of daily life. A bowl of this once or twice a week can be a quiet act of self-care.

Method

1. Soak the agaricus, tea tree mushroom, and lion’s mane in separate bowls of cold water until fully soft (30–60 minutes). Drain; discard the soaking water if the mushrooms have an unusual smell.
2. Rinse and clean the chicken; blanch in boiling water for two to three minutes, then drain and rinse off any foam.
3. Combine all ingredients in a large pot with 2.4 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.
5. Simmer for about 2 hours until the broth is rich and the mushrooms are very tender.
6. Serve hot; eat the mushrooms and chicken as well as the broth.

Nourilo’s Tips

All three mushrooms are thermally neutral, meaning this soup is appropriate for virtually any constitution and any season. If you are making it specifically as a cancer-support soup for someone undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, replace the chicken with lean pork — it is easier on the digestive system and no less nourishing. The soup can be made once a week and refrigerated; store the solid ingredients separately from the broth so they do not break down overnight. If the mushrooms smell of sulphur when you soak them, soak for an extra hour in fresh water and discard the first soaking water — this is a sign they may have been treated with sulphur during drying.