Soups
Fugui Pig Trotter Soup
Fugui Pig Trotter Soup is a classic medicinal soup, recorded in dietary therapy texts such as Shoulder Periarthritis Medicinal Diet Recipes. Prepared aconite root warms yang and dispels cold; cinnamon twig unblocks yang and transforms qi; mulberry twig dispels wind and unblocks meridians; notopterygium root eliminates dampness and relieves pain. These four herbs are simmered with collagen-rich pig trotters, resulting in a rich soup with tender, fall-off-the-bone meat. This soup is renowned for dispelling wind and cold, unblocking meridians, and relieving pain. It is especially suitable for improving and relieving shoulder periarthritis (commonly known as "frozen shoulder"), and may also help prevent skin wrinkles and enhance skin elasticity. Total cooking time is about 2-3 hours – a nourishing winter soup that combines dietary therapy with beauty benefits.
Main Ingredients
- Pig trotters 1 pair
- Prepared Aconite root (Fupian) 10g
- Cinnamon twig (Guizhi) 10g
- Mulberry twig (Sangzhi) 30g
- Notopterygium root (Qianghuo) 15g
- Cheesecloth bag 1 piece
- Salt to taste
- MSG (or chicken powder) to taste
- Ground white pepper to taste
- Water 2000ml
Steps
Pig trotters: Remove hair and scrub clean, then chop into appropriately sized pieces. Place in cold water, bring to a boil, and blanch for 3-5 minutes, skimming off any foam. Remove, rinse with warm water, and drain. Herbs: Place the prepared aconite root, cinnamon twig, mulberry twig, and notopterygium root in a cheesecloth bag and tie securely. This prevents herb residues from mixing into the soup.
Place the blanched pig trotters and the herb bag into a clay pot (sand pot) (avoid iron pots). Add enough water (about 1500-2000ml) to fully cover all ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam, then reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for 2-3 hours until the pig trotters are tender and fall off the bone.
Remove and discard the herb bag before turning off the heat. Season with salt, MSG (or chicken powder), and ground white pepper to taste. White pepper not only enhances flavor but also boosts the cold-dispelling and pain-relieving effects. Stir well and serve.
Serve as a soup with meals. Recommended 1-2 times per week, best consumed in winter.
TCM Notes
Pig trotters: Rich in collagen, protein, and minerals. Collagen helps improve skin elasticity and delay aging; minerals like calcium and phosphorus benefit bone health. Prepared Aconite root (Fupian) : Acrid and sweet in taste, greatly hot in nature, toxic. Known to restore yang, rescue the patient from collapse, tonify fire and assist yang, and disperse cold to relieve pain. Cinnamon twig (Guizhi) : Acrid and sweet in taste, warm in nature. Known to induce sweating, release the exterior, warm and unblock meridians, and assist yang to transform qi. Mulberry twig (Sangzhi) : Slightly bitter in taste, neutral in nature. Known to dispel wind-dampness and benefit the joints. It is particularly effective for shoulder and arm pain. Notopterygium root (Qianghuo) : Acrid and bitter in taste, warm in nature. Known to release the exterior, dispel cold, eliminate wind-dampness, and relieve pain. It is effective for upper body wind-dampness pain. Together, they achieve the synergistic effects of dispelling wind and cold, warming the meridians, unblocking the collateral channels, and relieving pain.
Suitable for：Those with shoulder periarthritis (frozen shoulder) Those with wind-cold-dampness arthralgia causing shoulder and arm pain, joint stiffness, and limited mobility Those with early-stage wind-cold colds with headache and body aches Those with deficiency-cold constitution – cold sensitivity, cold hands and feet Those with loose, inelastic skin seeking beauty and skin nourishment benefits
Not suitable for：Pregnant and breastfeeding women – prepared aconite root and cinnamon twig may affect the fetus Those with Yin deficiency and Fire excess (symptoms: hot palms and soles, dry mouth, night sweats) – aconite root is greatly hot in nature and may worsen deficiency fire Those with excess heat patterns (symptoms: high fever, red face, dry mouth, constipation) – not suitable for warming tonics Those with gout or hyperuricemia – pig trotters are high in purines Those with early-stage skin infections or suppurative conditions – pig trotters are considered "trigger foods" that may worsen symptoms Those allergic to any of the ingredients
