Fresh Yam, Dendrobium and Silkie Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

Yin deficiency is a pattern seen often in modern life: chronic stress, late nights, irregular eating, and overwork can all gradually deplete the body’s cooling and moistening reserves. The classic signs are a warm feeling in the palms or feet, mild thirst, dry mouth and throat, poor sleep, a constipated or dry stool, and a gnawing hunger that somehow does not translate into a real appetite — as if the stomach is smouldering without fuel.

Fresh Chinese yam (xian huai shan) and fresh dendrobium (xian shi hu) are two of the most respected yin-nourishing ingredients in Cantonese food therapy. Together in a silkie chicken soup, they create a broth that is genuinely delicious — sweet, clear, and delicate — without being heavy or hard to digest. It is also one of Nourilo’s recommended soups for people recovering from surgery who find that rich, warming tonics are too strong for their depleted system.

Method

1. Peel the fresh yam and cut into sections. Rinse the fresh dendrobium and cut into sections.
2. Stone the jujube dates.
3. Clean and portion the silkie chicken. Blanch the pieces in boiling water briefly, drain, and discard the blanching water.
4. Combine all ingredients with 3 L of water in a pot.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours until reduced to 1.5–1.8 L.
6. Serve with the soup solids — eat the yam, dendrobium, and chicken along with the broth.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is naturally sweet and delicate — it needs no heavy seasoning. If fresh dendrobium is unavailable, dried dendrobium soaked for 30 minutes works beautifully; use about 11 g (9 g). Corn and carrot can be added to the pot without any problem and will make the soup even sweeter. This soup is also suitable for people who feel nauseous after rich foods or tonics — the gentleness is one of its strengths. Red dates (hong zao) can substitute for nan zao.