Quick answer: In Chinese food culture, herbal soups (老火汤) are chosen to suit the body and the season. On hot, humid Singapore days, lighter "cooling" soups such as pear and sea coconut are the traditional choice. On rainy evenings, warming soups with codonopsis, longan or cordyceps flower are the comfort pick. Each of our herbal soup packs serves 3–4 and can be simmered as a soup or used as a steamboat base.
Herbal soups have long been part of everyday family cooking: not as medicine, but as a simple way of caring for the people at the table. The hard part is usually sourcing the right herbs and knowing which soup to make. This guide walks through our five herbal soups, what each is traditionally enjoyed for, and how to match them to Singapore's weather.
1. What are Chinese herbal soups?
Chinese herbal soups combine dried herbs, roots, seeds and fruits, slow-simmered with water and often meat, into a clear, fragrant broth. Ingredients like Chinese yam (淮山), Solomon's seal (玉竹), red dates and wolfberries appear again and again because they are gentle and well loved in home cooking.
Our Five Nourishments range packs real dried herbs in pre-measured portions, so you can skip the sourcing and go straight to the pot.
2. The five soups and what each is for
Shield: Cordyceps Chicken Soup (虫草炖鸡汤)
Traditionally enjoyed to help strengthen the body and support digestion. Key herbs: Solomon's seal (玉竹), Chinese yam (淮山), cordyceps flower (虫草花) and poria mushroom (茯苓). A savoury, comforting soup that pairs naturally with chicken.
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Breathe: Moistening and Lung Clearing Soup (润肺清肺汤)
A light, gently sweet soup that is traditionally considered "cooling", with figs, pears, sea coconut and red dates. Key herbs: Chinese yam (淮山), dried pear (梨干), apricot kernel (杏仁) and sea coconut (海底椰). It can also be brewed as a tea drink. Tip: add a honey date for extra flavour.
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Soothe: Nourishing Soup (六味滋润汤)
A calming, gentle broth. Key herbs: lotus seeds (莲子), euryale seeds or fox nut (芡实), Chinese yam (淮山) and Solomon's seal (玉竹). A good everyday soup, and lovely after a heavy meal.
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Ignite: Energy Restoration Soup (补气补血汤)
A warm, restorative soup made to be shared. Key herbs: Chinese yam (淮山), Solomon's seal (玉竹), dried longan (龙眼干) and codonopsis root, or dang shen (党参). Rich and slightly sweet from the longan.
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Root: General Wellness and Kidney Nourishing Soup (杜仲黑豆汤)
The foundational, warming blend. Key herbs: eucommia bark (杜仲), wolfberries (枸杞), Chinese yam (淮山) and black beans (黑豆). Earthy and hearty, lovely with pork ribs.
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Can't decide? The Herbal Comfort Starter Pack has one of each, so you can find the soup your family likes best.
3. Matching soups to Singapore's weather
- Hot, humid days: choose lighter, gentler soups such as Breathe or Soothe. Breathe can also be brewed as a tea and enjoyed through the day.
- Rainy, cooler evenings: reach for warming soups such as Ignite or Root.
- Busy, tiring weeks: Shield with chicken is a comforting, all-round choice for the whole family.
- After festive feasting: Soothe is a gentle, light soup to come back to.
4. How to cook a herbal soup
Each pack serves 3–4 people.
On the stove
- Rinse all the herbs with clean water and put them in a pot.
- Add 1.3–1.5 litres of water.
- Add 300–500g of meat if you like, such as chicken or pork ribs. Leave it out for a vegetarian soup.
- Bring to the boil on high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 1.5 hours.
In a slow cooker
Rinse the herbs, add about 1.2 litres of water and your meat (optional), then cook on the high setting for about 2 hours.
As a steamboat base
Rinse the herbs, add 1.3–1.5 litres of water to your hotpot and bring to the boil, then add your steamboat ingredients. See our guide to setting up a steamboat at home.
Storage: keep packs sealed in a cool, dry place and use within a month, or refrigerate for up to 2 years.
5. More soups and herbal teas
- Beauty Collagen Soup 美人汤: a gentle, savoury frozen broth that is light in taste. Heat it gently and enjoy as a soup or as a steamboat base.
- Growth and Development Soup: a blend of herbs traditionally enjoyed by families, including growing children, as part of a balanced diet.
- Bonne Nuit herbal tea: a caffeine-free evening infusion to wind down with.
- Flora Rosa herbal tea: a floral botanical blend, lovely after a meal.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chinese herbal soup is good for hot weather?
Lighter soups traditionally considered "cooling" are the usual choice in hot, humid weather. Our Breathe soup, with pear, sea coconut, figs and red dates, is a good choice, and can also be brewed as a tea.
How long do you simmer a herbal soup?
On the stove, bring it to the boil, then simmer on low heat for about 1.5 hours. In a slow cooker, cook on high for about 2 hours. As a steamboat base, you only need to bring it to the boil before adding ingredients.
Can herbal soups be vegetarian?
Yes. Simply leave out the meat. The herbs alone make a fragrant, clear broth.
Can I use herbal soup packs for steamboat?
Yes. All five of our herbal soups are suitable as a steamboat or hotpot base. Rinse the herbs, add water, bring to the boil and start cooking.
Are herbal soups suitable for everyone?
These are traditional Chinese herbal soups enjoyed as everyday food. If you are pregnant, on medication or have a health condition, please consult a TCM practitioner or your doctor for personalised advice.
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