Chinese Yam, Euryale Seed and Pork Stomach Soup

Why people make this soup

Euryale seeds — sometimes called Gordon seeds or fox nuts — have been used in Chinese kitchens for centuries. Their common nickname is “water ginseng” (水中人参), which gives you a sense of how highly regarded they are in Cantonese food-therapy. This soup pairs euryale with Chinese yam and pork stomach to make something that is both deeply satisfying to eat and genuinely supportive of digestive comfort. It is one of those recipes that has been passed down precisely because it works: people who deal with recurring loose stools, a delicate stomach, or that feeling of eating and never quite feeling nourished tend to find it helpful over time.

Method

1. Rinse and briefly soak the Chinese yam, euryale seeds, and tangerine peel separately.
2. Pit the red dates.
3. Clean the pork stomach thoroughly: turn it inside out and rub all surfaces vigorously with coarse salt and cornstarch, then rinse well. Repeat two to three times until there is no off-smell. Blanch with the sliced lean pork, drain, and rinse off any foam.
4. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.7 L of water. Bring to a full boil, then reduce to a medium-low simmer.
5. Cook for about 2 hours until the liquid reduces to roughly 1.2 L.
6. Serve the soup and the solid ingredients together — everything is good to eat.

Nourilo’s Tips

The key to a pork stomach that is odour-free and pleasant to eat is thorough cleaning: scrub it inside and out with coarse salt and cornstarch, rinse well, and repeat. Only then should you blanch it. If you want to enhance the spleen-supporting effect, add a small handful of lotus seeds (lian zi) along with the other ingredients — they pair beautifully with both yam and euryale.