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Home / Cuisine / Asian / Six Combination Soup (Lok Mei Soup) – 六味汤 liu wei tang

Six Combination Soup (Lok Mei Soup) – 六味汤 liu wei tang

Asian, Chinese New Year, Soup

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Combine your own six Chinese dried herbs for this nutritious and classic Six Combination Soup, popularly known as Lok Mei Tong.

Nutritious Six Combination Soup (Lok Mei Soup)

As the weather continues to cool down, I find myself cooking soup almost everyday. It is wonderful to start a meal with a sip of soup as it warms up the body and whets the appetite. These soups are usually clear meat broths to go with our rice based meals. Vegetables like lotus root and herbs may be added for a range of flavors. They are very easy to prepare requiring few ingredients and little prep work.

Nutritious Chinese Herbal Soups

Chinese herbal soups are simple with clarity of flavors and low oil content. Nothing is ever fried. They are usually simmered very gently or double-boiled. The gentle cooking produces a clear and nutritious broth. Often, only the broth is consumed and the solid ingredients discarded. I like to eat the ingredients dipped in a little soy sauce.

Six Combination Soup

This Six Combination Soup popularly known as Lok Mei Tong or Luck Bee Th’ng has six Chinese dried herbs in it. The combination of herbs may vary slightly and sometimes one or two more herbs are added. When I was growing up, Mom often cook this soup. The herbs can be easily purchased at the Chinese herbal shops in the neighborhood. I enjoyed going to the “medicine” shop with mom. I love to sit on the high stool at the long huge counter watching the “Ah Pek” slicing, weighing, and packing those strange looking roots and herbs. It was fascinating to watch him weigh the herbs with his tiny Chinese weighing scales. Those are now antiques and have been replaced by electronic scales.

Six Combination Soup - a classic herbal soup enjoyed by many.

Chinese Herbs

Now, a little bit about the herbs. Wei san or Chinese yam are chalk white slivers of root believed to be an effective tonic for the kidneys and lungs. Solomon’s seal rhizome or yok chok are slivers of yellowish root with moisturizing properties excellent for alleviating throat and lung ailments. Lotus seeds are the hard, cream colored seeds that are used in a variety of sweet dishes. Lily bulbs are the scales of the bulbs of the tiger lily flower. They are cream colored and look like flower petals. Fox nuts are the hard brown seeds that look like barley grains. They boil open into little “popcorns”. Dried longans are prized for their warming properties.


4 pieces Chinese yam, wei san 淮山 (huai shan)
20 pieces Solomon’s seal rhizome, yok chok 玉竹 (yu zhu)
lotus seeds 莲子(lian zi) ¼ cup (20g)
lily bulbs 百合 (bai he) ¼ cup (20g)
fox nuts 芡实 (qian shi) ¼ cup (20g)
dried longan 龙眼肉(long yan rou) ¼ cup (20g)

Chinese herbs used in this Six Combination Soup (Lok Mei Soup).

Tools Used in Making This Six Combination Soup

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.

Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Stockpot with Cover, 6-Quart
Cuisipro Stainless Steel Measuring Cup and Spoon Set
Chef Craft Stainless Steel Ladle

Nutritious Six Combination Soup (Lok Mei Soup)

Six Combination Soup (Lok Mei Soup) – Liu Wei Tang

Discover and combine your own six Chinese dried herbs for this nutritious and classic Six Combination Soup, popularly known as “Lok Mei Tong”.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: liu wei tang, lok mei tong, six combination soup
Servings: 6
Calories: 192kcal
Author: Linda Ooi

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 pieces Chinese yam / wei san / huai shan
  • 20 pieces Solomon’s seal rhizome / yok chok / yu zhu
  • ¼ cup lotus seeds / lian zi (20g)
  • ¼ cup lily bulbs / bai he (20g)
  • ¼ cup fox nuts / qian shi (20g)
  • ¼ cup dried longan / long yan rou (20g)
  • 6 cups water (1500 ml)
  • 8 oz lean pork ribs (cut into pieces) (225g)
  • Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Rinse and soak dried herbs for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Bring water to a boil. Add pork ribs and allow it to boil gently over medium heat for 15 minutes. Skim off scum rising to the surface.
  • Add drained herbs. When it comes back up to a boil, add salt. Reduce heat to the lowest possible setting so that soup will simmer very gently for 1½ to 2 hours. A gentle simmer will produce a clear soup.
  • Turn off heat and serve warm.

NUTRITION

Calories: 192kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @RotiNRice or tag #RotiNRice!

Delicious and comforting Six Combination Soup

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September 26, 2011 · 32 Comments



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Comments

  1. Lyndsey ~The Tiny Skillet says

    September 26, 2011 at 1:45 pm

    This is so interesting, where do you get your Chinese herbs now living in the US? I am curious about how they taste. Funny I made a soup today…still hot here but it was raining today.

    Reply
    • Biren says

      September 26, 2011 at 1:51 pm

      I can buy these herbs individually at the regular Chinese grocery store I go to. This store carries a lot more Chinese herbs because they are Chinese and not Vietnamese.

      This soup is just a little sweet in a good way. Children have no problems drinking this soup as it is not too medicial.

      Reply
  2. Belinda @zomppa says

    September 26, 2011 at 1:47 pm

    Mom would definitely approve – would have to go to one of those herbalists…hmm….

    Reply
    • Biren says

      September 26, 2011 at 1:51 pm

      Chinese herbal soups are so good and comforting for the colder weather. 🙂

      Reply
  3. tigerfish says

    September 26, 2011 at 2:55 pm

    Yes…more soups for the cooler days and nights. But temperatures here are still hovering at the 80s…:O

    Reply
  4. Patty says

    September 26, 2011 at 3:44 pm

    Hi Biren!
    Good to see you posting such an interesting soup using Chinese herbs! I’m feeling healthy just reading about it and looking at the pictures;-) Today is soup day for me too but nothing too interesting, just hopefully delicious;-)

    Reply
  5. Angie's Recipes says

    September 26, 2011 at 11:08 pm

    5 stars
    mmm…had this soup before..a healthy and nutritious tonic.

    Reply
  6. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

    September 27, 2011 at 1:06 am

    Please don’t tell my mother in law. Our last visit in Taiwan, my MIL gave me a pack of Chinese herbs that I can recognize similar ingredients in your list. She taught me how, but I was so lazy to make it…and it’s been sitting in my fridge since November. Are they still okay? It’s almost a year…. She didn’t have “recipe” and I just don’t know how to cook without precise instruction. =P

    Reply
    • Biren says

      September 27, 2011 at 9:10 am

      Dried Chinese herbs stored in the fridge can last for quite a while. I think yours should be fine. Herbal soups are pretty easy to prepare. The one thing it does require is some TLC in the simmering. 🙂

      Reply
  7. anncoo says

    September 27, 2011 at 1:18 am

    My family loves this soup as it is very healthy and nutritious even suitable for hot weather 🙂

    Reply
    • Biren says

      September 27, 2011 at 9:12 am

      This soup is good for most weather. I like to cook herbal soups here in the winter as it’s warming properties help keep the chill away. 🙂

      Reply
  8. Katherine Martinelli says

    September 27, 2011 at 3:27 am

    I also love love love soup. This is beautiful! I always want to buy ingredients like this when I am home in New York in Chinatown but have never known what to do with them. Now I do!

    Reply
    • Biren says

      September 27, 2011 at 9:14 am

      I hope you can find some Chinese herbs where you live and try out some herbal soups. Do check back as I hope to post a few more herbal recipes.

      Reply
  9. DongXing says

    September 27, 2011 at 4:16 am

    5 stars
    I love this soup but no one else does in my family – my kids love it when my mother makes it but they say mine somehow taste different… such annoying tastebuds! When I do make it, my husband would say I am making “witches brew”…ha ha ha. This kind of soup is perfect for autumnal evenings, I like mine with a bowl of warm rice….

    Reply
    • Biren says

      September 27, 2011 at 9:15 am

      This soup is so simple yet delicious! It is hard to predict what children will and will not eat. I am fortunate my boys will try most things.

      Reply
  10. Nasi Lemak Lover says

    September 27, 2011 at 5:04 am

    Glad you are able to find all these Chinese herbs in where you live now. Eventhough i can easily buy these, but i seldom cook herbs soup as kids don’t really appreciate herbs soup. Yours look simple and nice.

    Reply
    • Biren says

      September 27, 2011 at 9:17 am

      Yes, I am glad too as I do love herbal soups. The Chinese herbs I can find here are limited and so I do stock up when I go visit my parents.

      Reply
  11. wok with ray says

    September 27, 2011 at 2:44 pm

    Hi Biren! I’ve heard of this soup before but I’ve never tried it. We have a large Chinese supermarket here in LA, I should be able to find the herbs easily. Thanks, Biren!

    Reply
  12. Pam says

    September 27, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    Soup is wonderful and this sounds great! Perfect for these chilly days now.

    Reply
  13. Magic of Spice says

    September 27, 2011 at 4:40 pm

    What beautiful ingredients! I can just imagine how delightfully aromatic this must be….wonderful 🙂

    Reply
  14. Sanjeeta kk says

    September 28, 2011 at 4:23 am

    Always love yo drop i here for some very authentic recipes from you, Biren! Love all your creations.

    Reply
  15. Jay says

    September 28, 2011 at 7:07 am

    wow…lipsmacking gooooooood..:P
    Tasty Appetite

    Reply
  16. Adora's Box says

    September 28, 2011 at 12:33 pm

    I love clear broths and have them as often as I can. I love Chinese herbal soups. I like the taste as well as the benefits they give to the body. My mom-in-law taught me a few simple ones and i cook them whenever I can. Your soup looks so comforting and it would be lovely to have now that the weather has changed.

    Reply
  17. Tina (PinayInTexas) says

    September 28, 2011 at 3:47 pm

    Everything in that soup sounds new to me (except for the pork ribs)…but I must say that it looks so filling and comforting!

    Reply
  18. Lyn says

    September 29, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    5 stars
    One of my fave soup and I’d eat the ingredients too! Esp Huai Shan, I just love it same as my elder gal. 😉
    Have a great week! 😀

    Reply
  19. elisabeth@foodandthrift says

    October 1, 2011 at 10:42 pm

    A delicious and comforting soup, Biren. Love the step-by-step directions for someone like me, who has never made this!
    Thanks for sharing:DDD

    Reply
  20. Peggy says

    August 8, 2013 at 12:20 pm

    I know this is late, but I just found your blog and very glad that I did! I love all your recipes and plan on making them very soon. I’m interested in knowing what type of pot I should cook the soup in? My husband is Chinese and I would love to make these healthy soups to be incorporated to our diet. I love how you give us the names of the herbs and what they are. My in laws also make soup but its hard to get recipes from them because of the language barrier. Do you think I can make these soups in a slow cooker? I remember going to Hong Kong and saw a family member have a huge soup making device… And soup was served before a meal and after! Oh my-! 😉 thank you again for a great blog!

    Reply
    • Biren says

      August 8, 2013 at 4:56 pm

      Welcome Peggy! I am glad you found my blog and love the recipes. 🙂 I have simplified many of the recipes here so that they can be easily prepared by anyone who wants a tasty and healthy home cooked meal.

      You can use any kind of pot for this soup. A clay pot would be ideal but as you can see in the pictures above, I made this in a stainless steel pot. You can most definitely use a slow cooker. Chinese herbal soups cooked in a slow cooker yield clear soup because of the slow cooking. I use the slow cooker when I am not in a hurry. 🙂

      Please do visit again soon. I hope to post more herbal soups as the weather cools down.

      Reply
  21. Nadiah says

    October 24, 2014 at 5:39 am

    Hi i am wondering of this soup is high in calories.my mom adds lean chicken into the soup.i love this soup.

    Reply
    • Linda says

      October 26, 2014 at 6:17 pm

      Unfortunately, I do not have the calorie count for this soup. Lean chicken is a good substitute for the pork ribs.

      Reply
  22. Odelia Tan says

    September 10, 2016 at 3:33 am

    Your recipe said to rinse and soak dried herbs for 10 to 15 minutes. Do I need to rinse & soak separately or can mix everything together?

    Reply
    • Linda says

      September 16, 2016 at 7:30 am

      You can rinse and soak them together.

      Reply

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My grace is sufficient for thee…
2 Corinthians 12:9

Hi, I’m Linda! I make quick, easy meals, and spin on classics and old favorites with focus on Malaysian, Chinese, and American cuisines. Read more →

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