Shepherd's Purse & Chrysanthemum Tofu Soup (Jicai Juhua Doufu Geng)

Main Ingredients

• Soft tofu (silken) 1 box
• Shepherd's purse 50g
• Shredded chicken breast a small amount
• Chicken stock as needed
• Goji berries 10 pieces
• Salt to taste
• Light soy sauce a little
• Tapioca starch as needed
• Vegetable oil a little

Steps

1. Prep shepherd's purse: Rinse 50g of shepherd's purse, drain, and cut into fine pieces. Note: Shepherd's purse is a wild vegetable and must be thoroughly washed to remove residual impurities. Prep chicken: Slice a small amount of chicken breast into thin shreds, marinate with a little salt and starch for 10 minutes. Prepare tofu: Use soft or silken tofu (1 box). Remove the surface skin with a knife and set aside.

   

2. Heat a little vegetable oil in a pot and stir-fry the marinated chicken shreds until they change color. Pour in enough chicken stock, add salt to taste, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add a little light soy sauce for flavor. Add a prepared tapioca starch slurry and stir to create a thin, glossy consistency. Note: Tapioca starch is preferred for a clearer finish.

   

3. Cut the soft tofu into fine shreds using a chrysanthemum knife or a fine slicing tool. If no special tool is available, slice the tofu into thin sheets first, then cut into even fine shreds. Gently slide the tofu shreds into the soup pot and use chopsticks to gently separate them, allowing them to bloom in the broth.

   

4. Sprinkle in the chopped shepherd's purse and simmer briefly until it just comes to a boil. Note: Do not cover the pot after adding shepherd's purse, as it may turn yellow. Ladle the soup into small bowls, use chopsticks to arrange the tofu shreds into a chrysanthemum shape, and pour the shepherd's purse broth over. Garnish with goji berries if desired.

   

TCM Notes

Shepherd's Purse: Sweet and bland in taste, neutral (or slightly cool) in nature; enters the Liver, Spleen, and Bladder meridians. Known for cooling blood, stopping bleeding, tonifying deficiency, strengthening the spleen, clearing heat, promoting diuresis, improving vision, and lowering blood pressure. Rich in vitamin C, carotene, and calcium—its calcium content exceeds that of tofu, and its carotene content is comparable to carrots. The crude fiber content promotes intestinal motility, aids excretion, and supports blood pressure and digestion. Soft Tofu (Silken/内酯豆腐): Sweet in taste, cool in nature; enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Large Intestine meridians. Known for tonifying the middle, boosting qi, clearing heat, moistening dryness, generating fluids, quenching thirst, and cleansing the intestines. Rich in high-quality plant protein, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium, with a digestion absorption rate of over 95%. Known as “plant meat.” Chrysanthemum: Sweet and bitter in taste, slightly cold in nature; enters the Lung and Liver meridians. Known for dispersing wind-heat, calming the liver, improving vision, and clearing heat and toxins. Shredded Chicken: Sweet in taste, warm in nature; known for warming the middle, benefiting qi, supplementing essence, and nourishing the liver. Both shepherd's purse and chicken nourish the liver, and their combination with tofu helps enhance immunity. Synergistic Effect: Shepherd's purse nourishes the liver, cools blood, and promotes diuresis; chrysanthemum clears the Liver and improves vision; tofu clears heat, moistens dryness, and generates fluids; chicken tonifies deficiency and nourishes the liver. This soup is low in saturated fat and protective for blood vessels, with approximately 150-200 kcal per serving—a low-fat, high-protein, high-fiber spring medicinal soup.

Suitable for：Those with excess Liver fire in spring, red swollen eyes, and blurred vision Those with headache, dizziness, and irritability due to Liver heat Those needing liver nourishment, vision improvement, heat clearing, and diuresis Those with hypertension and hyperlipidemia (adjunctive support) Those seeking spring seasonal wellness and immune support General population for spring daily wellness and seasonal enjoyment

Not suitable for：Pregnant women – avoid or use with caution. Shepherd's purse contains compounds similar to oxytocin (such as quaternary ammonium compounds) that may stimulate uterine contractions. For safety, pregnant women should avoid it. This is especially important for those with abnormal fetal movement or threatened miscarriage. Those with Spleen-Stomach Cold Deficiency or prone to diarrhea – shepherd's purse promotes bowel movements, and those with spleen-stomach cold deficiency or easy diarrhea should not consume much. Chrysanthemum is slightly cold; those with spleen-stomach cold deficiency (manifesting as dull stomach pain, loose unformed stools) should use with caution to avoid worsening symptoms. Those with wind-cold colds – chrysanthemum is slightly cold and may worsen symptoms (severe chills, clear runny nose, white thin phlegm). Those with renal insufficiency – shepherd's purse is relatively high in oxalic acid; those with kidney stones or renal insufficiency should consume with caution. Acute gout / hyperuricemia patients – tofu contains purine; limit intake during acute flare-ups. Those with diarrhea or loose stools – shepherd's purse promotes bowel movements and may worsen diarrhea. Those allergic to shepherd's purse, chrysanthemum, or tofu.