
Herbal soup has become a favourite soup among the Chinese family. It is nutritious and delicious to consume especially during the cold season. Herbal ingredients have many goodness in it and it is known to promote good health, prevention sickness & boost our general well being. Each of the herbs has its own goodness and its own function in promoting good health. Herbal soup is a mixture or combination of several herbs that make the soup nutritious, sweet, flavorful, savory and tasty. Nevertheless, there is some bitter taste herbal soup too, which promote other goodness in it. It is your own preference in choosing and boiling herbal soup according to your taste bud. I would prefer something more savory taste than sweet taste. Herbal soup can be boil with pork meat or chicken meat. Thus, some prefer to boil it with other poultry or frog (田鸡) - a kind of frog species). Different herbal soup has different boiling method. Each method gives you different result and taste. Many of us used "double-boiling (炖)" as one of the most effective method to preserve the goodness of the herbs and meat. It makes the soup extra flavorful and delicious!
Double-boil soups mean to place the soup pot over another pot of boiling water. The soup is cooked using the heat from the boiling water and not directly from the original heat source. Usually, they use a special ceramic pot known as a double boiling jar to be place in another pot of boiling water. Double boiling let the soup ingredients slowly release their nutrients into the soup. Double boiling is a fairly long cooking process. The average cooking time is about 4 hours.
Reference from hereYou may need to find the suitable combination of herbs in making herbal soup according to your taste, the benefits of it and the goodness that you are looking for. The following recipe was adopted & modified from THE STAR newspaper according to my own preference. I like the goodness of this recipe and also the combination of sweet, savory & a little bitterness from the ginseng roots' hair (洋参须). It is indeed a clear, soothing and refreshing soup for the whole family.

Other ingredient such as Huai San (Dried Chinese Yam - 干淮山) has plenty of goodness in it, Chinese yam has been recorded as having the ability to enhance vigor, promote muscle growth and repair worn-out tissue, and alleviate bodily weakness after a long-term illness. The herb has also been used to counter diabetes, diarrhea, kidney defects, coughing and dehydration. It can, however, cause frequent urination and perspiration. So be careful not to over-use. With the combination of this herb and meat, it also aid digestion, regulates body's sugar level and control inflammation of the uterus.
Red dates also known jujubes, red dates are widely considered as the "living vitamin pill" by the Chinese. It contains Vitamin B, C, E, P, phosphorus, calcium, iron and more. Red dates are well known of its function on replenishing blood in our body. As the result, those that lack of red blood cells (anemia) can consume red dates soup or water to nourish their body. Scientists have also found that cyclic adenosine monophosphate found in red jujubes can slow down the growth of cancer cells.
Another great herb is Yu Zhu- Solomon's seal (玉竹). It believed to be moisturizing and therefore an excellent herb for use in dry winters where skin tends to become very dry. At the same time, it is also believed to be excellent for alleviating a host of ills, including throat, and lungs ailments.
Reference from HOMEMADE CHINESE SOUPSSince I was a child, I have consumed variety of herbal soup. It continues until today and herbal soup has become one of my favourite. As I am cooking for my little boy, I would surely include herbal soup as one of the main dish occasionally. It is good to explore & experiment variety of herbal soup that promotes natural general well being for us and also for children. Since I started to learn about Chinese herbs and soup, I gained plenty of information that I never ever know about it last time. I hope to gather and get more information and recipes on Chinese herbs to nourish my knowledge too!
 Ingredients: 2 large apples (红萍果), quatered and cored (I used Fuji Apple) 500g Chicken meat (breast / Thigh/ Drumsticks), skinned 2 litres water Salt to taste
Herbs: 15g Yu Zhu - Solomon's seal (玉竹) 10g Dried Huai San - dried chinese yam (干淮山) 10g Dried Longan (干圆肉/干龍眼肉) 5 fig fruits (无花果) - I used fresh figs 10g hair's of ginseng roots (yong sum soe - 洋参须 ) 4 red Dates (红枣), removed seed 5g Kei Chi (杞子)
Methods: 1. Rinse all the herbs well. Drained & set aside. 2. Wash chicken and blanch chicken with boiling water. Drained & set aside. 2. Bring water to the boil and add chicken meat and herbs except Kei Chi. 3. Simmer at medium heat for 30-40 mins. 4. Reduce to low heat and add the apples. Simmer for an hour. 5. Add in Kei Chi after 45 mins. Then, add salt to taste. Serve. |