Cordyceps-Flower, Lily Bulb and Partridge Soup

Why people make this soup

Little ones who have just started school often catch a bug and then cough on and on, which worries any parent. For children whose lung “qi” tends to be weak, the old approach is to wait until the cold has fully passed, then use a gentle food-therapy soup to build the lungs back up. Partridge is traditionally said to tonify the centre, benefit the five organs and transform phlegm; paired with cordyceps flower, lily bulb, mai dong and apricot kernels — all classically used to clear the heart, moisten the lungs and nourish — it makes a kind, helpful pot for a child who catches coughs easily.

Method

1. Clean and dress the partridge, then blanch it.
2. Rinse and soak the remaining ingredients.
3. Put everything in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
4. Simmer 2 hours, reducing to 1.2 L. Drink the soup and eat the ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

When simmering any poultry soup, always add two slices of ginger. This soup suits the whole family, young and old — but not while an external cold is still unresolved. If ginger gives you a sore throat, use dried tangerine peel (chen pi) instead.