Wu Zhi Mao Tao, Astragalus and Black-Bone Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

A friend gave Nourilo a bag of five-finger fig root for soup. Also nicknamed “southern astragalus,” it has a quality somewhat like astragalus though a touch milder, and it gives the broth a faint, lovely coconut fragrance — which is why home cooks adore it. This soup is traditionally taken to support vital energy and build strength. It is regarded as helpful for those who feel weak all over, with a pale complexion and a soft, low voice from insufficient vital energy.

Method

1. Wash the black-bone chicken and blanch it. Soak and rinse the remaining ingredients.
2. Place everything in a pot with 2.4 L of water and simmer until reduced to 1.2 L. Serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

People with a low-energy constitution often have a weak spleen and stomach and low stomach acid, so it helps to use more energy-supporting foods to improve how you feel.