Soups
Winter Melon, Fresh Lotus Seed and Wild Duck Soup
Traditionally used to nourish yin, replenish deficiency and promote urination
Why people make this soup
Bro Niu spotted cheap chilled teal (wild duck) at the supermarket and reached for the soup pot. Even farm-raised teal carries less fat than ordinary table duck, so the broth comes out clear and light rather than greasy. Paired with winter melon and fresh lotus seed, this soup is traditionally used to nourish yin, ease deficiency and gently promote urination — a comfortable pot for people who feel run-down, dry-mouthed or have a sluggish appetite.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People feeling depleted: dry mouth and throat, poor appetite, low spirits
- Traditionally regarded as friendly to people managing diabetes, high blood pressure or fluid retention
- Suitable for the whole family
- If the “heart-fire” type of restlessness is present, Bro Niu suggests leaving the green germ (the bitter heart) in the lotus seeds
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Wild / teal duck (shui ya): traditionally used to nourish yin and the kidneys and to support a depleted body; leaner than ordinary duck.
- Winter melon (dong gua): cooling and traditionally diuretic, helping to drain excess fluid.
- Fresh lotus seed (xian lian zi): traditionally calming and strengthening to the spleen; the bitter heart is left in for restlessness.
- Tangerine peel (chen pi): adds fragrance and traditionally helps move qi.
- Ginger (sheng jiang): warms and balances the cooling ingredients.
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Winter melon | ~600 g (1 catty) | Skin on, washed, cut into chunks |
| Fresh lotus seeds | ~75 g (2 taels) | Heart removed (or leave in for restlessness); or 1 tael dried |
| Tangerine peel | 1 piece | Soaked until soft |
| Fresh ginger | 2 slices | |
| Wild / teal duck | 1 whole | Cleaned and blanched |
Method
- Clean the duck, then blanch it in boiling water and drain.
- Wash the winter melon (leave the skin on) and cut into chunks.
- Remove the heart from the fresh lotus seeds; soak the tangerine peel until soft.
- Put everything in a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Simmer about 2 hours until reduced to 4–5 bowls. Drink the soup and eat the ingredients.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup suits people who feel depleted — dry mouth and throat, poor appetite, low spirits — and the whole family can enjoy it. If there is heart-fire restlessness, cook the whole lotus seeds with the bitter heart left in.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Lan Tian Si Nai): Should the duck be skinned? The teal I saw was big — is a smaller one better, in case the big one is fatty? Bro Niu: If the price is the same, pick the bigger one. Most teal now is farm-raised, so it’s best to skin it before cooking — the soup comes out clearer. Even farmed teal is better for soup than a fatty table duck.
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Q (erica): What does wild duck do, and what else can I cook it with? Bro Niu: Wild duck is traditionally used to nourish yin and the kidneys and to ease bodily depletion. You can cook it with cordyceps (or cordyceps flower), Chinese yam (huai shan) and goji berries (gou qi zi). It suits both yin-deficient and yang-deficient people.
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Q (fen hong mu ou): If I use the dried lotus seeds, should they be the Hunan kind? Bro Niu: Hunan lotus seeds (xiang lian) are the better-quality ones — yes, use those.
Published October 31, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
