Four God Pigeon Soup is said to have been used by Emperor Qianlong's physicians to regulate the emperor's spleen and stomach, as he was exhausted from his travels. Emperor Qianlong bestowed this soup as "Four Ministers Soup", but it was later mistakenly called "Four God Soup".
[Name]
Four God Pigeon Soup
[Ingredients]
200g fresh Huai Shan, 30g Job's Tears (100g fresh), 30g Yun Ling, 50g lotus seeds, 2 pigeons, 100g lean meat, a few slices of ginger (for 3-4 servings).
[Preparation]
1. Peel and cut the fresh Huai Shan into sections;
2. Rinse and soak the Job's Tears, Yun Ling, and lotus seeds;
3. Kill and clean the pigeons, then cut them into pieces; wash and cut the lean meat into pieces;
4. Blanch the pigeons and lean meat. Add 1500ml of water to the pot, add all the ingredients, bring to a boil over high heat for 15 minutes, then simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Add salt to taste.
[Benefits]
Nourishes the spleen, strengthens the stomach, tonifies the kidneys, and astringes.
[Nutritional Value]
Huai Shan, Yun Ling, lotus seeds, and Job's Tears are commonly used soup ingredients that help to nourish the spleen, tonify the kidneys, and dispel dampness and diarrhea. Job's Tears, also known as coix seed, is one of the "Eight Immortals in Water". A bowl of soup made with fresh Job's Tears is a seasonal delicacy for the people of old Suzhou during the autumn season. In Guangdong, we usually use dried Job's Tears to tonify the spleen and astringe.
Traditional Chinese medicine advocates "harvesting in autumn and storing in winter". In winter, everything is hidden, and our bodies should also follow the natural rhythm and be hidden and astringent. Therefore, we use lotus seeds and Job's Tears to astringe. In the cold winter, nourishing the body is a constant theme, but before nourishing, we need to regulate the spleen and stomach. You can try this "Four God Soup" with the pigeon, which warms and nourishes the five organs.
Since lotus seeds, Job's Tears, and Huai Shan have astringent properties, those with constipation and bloating should consume them in moderation. You can add a piece of aged tangerine peel to promote circulation and remove fishy odor.
