Calm the soul, clear the broth

Dried Chinese angelica root (danggui)may be used in the turtle soup, to add to the value of this nourishing soup. This is often regarded as a "women's soup", since it is very rich in natural collagen, and angelica is regarded as a "women's herb" that will cure a multitude of female complaints. It also induces a hormonal surge from the phytoestrogen in the herb.

For the man in the family, it is usually a hearty lamb soup to warm the body, and some say the libido. Organic lamb ribs are simply stewed with huge bunches of Shandong green onions, plenty of ginger, and very little else. This is an all-natural winter tonic that has its origins in the Mongolian grasslands.

Further south where I come from, my mother swears by the restorative powers of a conch and chicken soup, with maybe some panax ginseng added.

The conch comes dried and must be soaked overnight to soften before being cooked with chicken. You may also use frozen conch, but the result is a milky broth that is wondrously sweet.

And finally, there is a classic pork rib soup that is a treasured recipe all year round, cooked with good spicy white peppercorns and plenty of garlic. You may know it as the Singapore-Malaysian street food dish of bak kut teh, but its origin is all Chinese.

Here are all the recipes to keep you going from winter through spring. If you have queries, feel free to e-mail me at paulined@chinadaily.com.cn.

See soup recipes on the following pages.