老火湯LO FO TONG

All soups › Lung-moistening

Lily bulb and honey date soup with pork lung

百合蜜棗豬肺湯
nourishes yinmoistens the lungssoothes coughresolves phlegmrelieves drynessAutumn slow-boiled · 2.5 hours Not yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

“The pot Ah Ma keeps for her night owls.”

Ingredients

街市Pork lung· flushed and rinsed with water until it turns white, then blanched1
百子櫃Sweet apricot kernel· sweet apricot kernels, 白杏仁40 g (1 tael)
百子櫃Dried lily bulb40 g (1 tael)
百子櫃Candied honey date· or 6 red dates4

Method

  1. Pour water into the pork lung through the windpipe and press it out again, rinsing over and over until the lung turns white (灌肺, the flushing that cleans it out).
  2. Cut the lung into pieces, dry-fry it in an unoiled wok (白鑊) until the water is driven out, then blanch it.
  3. Rinse the sweet apricot kernels, lily bulb and honey dates. Soak the dried tangerine peel until soft and scrape away the white pith.
  4. Put everything in the pot with 3 litres of water and bring to the boil over high heat.
  5. Turn down to low, simmer for 2 to 3 hours and season with salt.

Who it suits

  • a dry cough
  • a lingering cough from weak lungs

Who should take care

  • Not in the first days of a cold

Soup stories

This is the home cousin of 杏汁白肺湯, the banquet dish of almond cream and white lung. Half the ritual of the soup is the 灌肺 flushing itself, the long job of washing the lung clean.

From the same family

冰糖燉燕窩
nourishes yinrelieves drynessmoistens the lungsAll yearAutumn
百子櫃Edible bird's nest· 1 dried nest (about 5 to 8 g)百子櫃Rock sugar· to taste

“The pot Ah Ma keeps for her night owls.”

冰糖燉雪梨 (川貝燉雪梨)
moistens the lungssoothes coughclears heatAutumn
街市Asian pear / snow pear· 1 to 2百子櫃Rock sugar· to taste百子櫃Tendrilleaf fritillary bulb· 8 g (2 mace)

“The pot Ah Ma keeps for her night owls.”

Chayote and pork slice soup (milky prawn version)Not yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
合掌瓜肉片湯(奶白合掌瓜大蝦肉片湯)
moistens the lungssoothes coughresolves phlegmAutumnWinterSummer
街市Chayote· 2街市Large prawns (fresh, head-on)· 4 to 6街市Lean pork· 200 g百子櫃Dried scallop (conpoy)· 10百子櫃Dried whole shrimp (large)· 4街市Fresh ginger· 3 slices

“The pot Ah Ma keeps for her night owls.”

Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.