Authentic Chinese Herbal Soup Recipes
Chinese soup recipes are a great way to incorporate Chinese herbs and their natural health-boosting benefits into your diet. They are also ‘souper’ easy to cook and prepare, and don’t require much expertise whatsoever! We will be discussing 4 different Chinese soup recipes that you can whip up in just minutes. Whether you want to impress your loved ones or get some Chinese herbs into your diet, these herbal soup recipes are perfect for you!
What is a Chinese herbal soup and why are soups mixed with Chinese herbs so popular?
Chinese herbal soup is the name given to any Chinese recipe that uses water, chicken broth, or another liquid base. This makes it much easier to infuse herbs such as Chinese wild yam, goji berries, red dates, astragalus root, Chinese angelica root and American ginseng slices into your food and get their health benefits. In fact, you can even buy Chinese herbal soup packets from traditional Chinese medicine shops to make soup easily.
You may be wondering why Chinese herbal soups are so popular in Chinese cuisine? It’s because they were concocted for medicinal purposes! They’re easy to make at home (you don’t need a degree in cooking!), quick, delicious, and can help alleviate anything from acne breakouts to anxiety issues. Soup recipes have been around since ancient China when doctors discovered how well Chinese herbs work together to promote general wellness!
Now onto the good stuff – here are some great Chinese herbal soup recipes.
Recipe #01: Ginseng and Herbal Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
- ½ chicken breast, cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup dried ginseng slices
- ½ teaspoon salt
- water to cover ingredients in a pot
Steps:
- Place the chicken, ginseng, salt and enough water to cover the ingredients in a soup pot.
- Bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve hot with some rice on the side, and enjoy!
Benefits:
This particular chicken herbal soup recipe is perfect for improving your energy levels and boosting your immune system. The ginseng slices help increase blood circulation while fighting off any infection or virus that might be going around. Combine that with the protein from the chicken and you’ve got a soup that can help build muscle, improve your mood and even lower blood pressure!
Recipe #02: Dried Longan Soup
Ingredients:
- ½ cup longans (dried fruit)
- ¼ cup chrysanthemum flowers
- ¼ cup Chinese yam (dried)
- ½ teaspoon rock sugar or regular sugar
Steps:
- Combine all ingredients and add enough water to cover the ingredients and herbal mix in a slow cooker.
- Let it cook till a boil over medium heat.
- Once it is boiling, decrease the heat level and let the soup simmer for about half an hour.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Benefits:
This Chinese herbal soup recipe is great for improving your skin complexion while also helping you sleep better at night! The chrysanthemum flowers not only help lower blood pressure but they’re also known to promote relaxation – perfect if you’ve had a stressful day at work or just want an excuse to kick back and relax after dinner. Longans are rich in vitamin A which is great for promoting healthy vision and protecting your immune system. The Chinese yam is also known to promote better sleep, so you can wake up feeling refreshed after a night of sweet dreams!
Recipe #03: Ginseng Soup with Red Dates
Ingredients:
- ½ cup red dates (aka jujube) soaked in water overnight
- ¼ cup dried ginseng slices
- water to cover ingredients in a pot
Steps:
- Drain the red dates and combine with all other ingredients in a pot.
- Add enough water to cover the ingredients and let it come to a boil over medium heat.
- Once boiling, decrease the heat level and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Benefits:
This is another great Chinese soup recipe that helps improve your overall health! Red dates are packed with essential vitamins and minerals such as zinc, copper, vitamin A, and iron. They’re also known to help boost your immune system while fighting off free radicals that can cause cell damage.
Closing Thoughts
By now you should have a good idea of how Chinese soup recipes can improve your health! They’re easy to make at home, quick and delicious. And best yet – they help increase overall wellness without the need for expensive doctor visits or prescription medication.