By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
This is one thing (one of the many things) that scientists and our Igorot elders agree on- the nourishing and healing power of soup. “Sabaw” is a must in traditional Igorot kitchens. Coffee and tea drinking are acquired behavior, thanks (or no thanks) to our colonizers and mass media. So these are not indigenous. You will note that the kettle is not part of our traditional cookware. “Sabaw” constituted a major part of our liquid intake. We drank water and “sabaw.”
We, Igorots, are taught to always have sabaw as part of the meal, particularly if there are young children. Interview your elders. Males, generally, also look for “sabaw”. Traditional “sabaw” meant thin vegetable broth – the liquid of vegetables boiled, even overcooked, in a lot of water with a little salt as seasoning. Thus it is appropriately termed “digo” in Ilokano – literally means the “liquid of the viand”. Our soup was never thick like corn chowder.
Why are soups so nourishing and soothing? Dr. Mao Shing Ni answers it so well, “When you slowly simmer foods over low heat, you gently leach out the energetic and therapeutic properties of the foods, preserving the nutritional value of the food and making it easier for your body to assimilate the nutrients.”
Here are some soup suggestions from Dr. Mao Shing Ni:
1. Immune-boosting soup
Simmer these ingredients for 30 minutes to 1 hour: cabbage, carrots, fresh ginger, onion, oregano, shiitake mushrooms (if dried, they must be soaked first), the seaweed of your choice, and any type of squash in vegetable broth. Cabbage can increase your body’s ability to fight infection, ginger supports healthy digestion and seaweed cleanses the body. Shiitake mushrooms contain coumarin, polysaccharides and sterols, as well as vitamins and minerals that increase your immune function; the remaining ingredients promote general health and wellbeing. Eat this soup every other day to build a strong and healthy immune system.
2. Warming soups
Warm soup provides what the body craves in cold weather. When you simmer foods into a soup, you are adding a lot of what Chinese nutrition would call “warming energy” into the food. Warming foods to feature in your soups include: leeks, onions, turnips, spinach, kale, broccoli, quinoa, yams, squash, garlic, scallions, and parsley. As a spice, turmeric aids with circulation, a great boost against the cold weather.
3. Detoxifying broth
As a liquid, soup is already helping you flush waste from your body. When you choose detoxifying ingredients, such as the ones featured in the recipe below, you are really treating your body to an internal cleanse. This broth supports the liver in detoxification, increases circulation, reuces inflammation, and replenishes your body with essential minerals.
Simmer the following detoxifying foods for 1 to 2 hours over a low flame: anise, brussels sprouts, cabbage, Swiss chard, cilantro, collards, dandelion, fennel, garlic, fresh ginger, kale, leeks, shiitake mushrooms, mustard greens, daikon radish, seaweed, turmeric, and watercress. Strain to drink as a broth, or if you prefer, leave the cut vegetables in tact and enjoy a bowl.
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Just like any craft and art, you can be very creative in the kitchen. Our “local” French chef Aklay says that just see what is the kitchen, what is left-over, mix them and viola, a warming, hearty soup! The good thing about Igorot and Filipino traditional homes is that if you don’t like what you concocted, the dog and the pig would be happy to have it. It is best to serve soup freshly made. Each day it stays in the refrigerator or each time you reheat it, its therapeutic value decreases. **
