Cover In Asia, a healing broth nourishes the soul as much as the body. (Photo: Change CC / Pexels)
In Asia, a healing broth nourishes the soul as much as the body. (Photo: Change CC / Pexels)
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Whether your healing broth of choice is ginseng-laced soup served in a brass pot or chicken ginger stew ladled into chipped porcelain, this wellness tradition speaks to a kind of slow care that exists outside of trend cycles
In much of Asia, wellness doesn’t (always) come in a capsule or smoothie. Usually, it comes in a bowl. Long before bone broth became a wellness buzzword, families across the continent were simmering stockpots full of medicinal intent: soups that soothe, strengthen and restore. Whether served postpartum, during illness or as a daily tonic, a healing broth, for many Asians, is less a trend than an expression of ancestral wisdom. They are passed down not in cookbooks, but in practice.
Here’s a look at the healing broth traditions that anchor culinary wellness from Korea to Thailand, each one carrying a story of care, balance and quiet power.
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1. Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) — Korea
A whole young chicken, stuffed with glutinous rice, jujubes, garlic and ginseng, is gently simmered until it collapses into comfort.
This healing broth isn’t just a dish. Rather, it’s a prescription, traditionally eaten during Korea’s hottest days to replenish energy and cool the body from within, in line with the Eastern philosophy of “fighting heat with heat”. It’s also given to those recovering from childbirth or surgery. Ginseng, long valued in Korean medicine, is believed to support circulation and stamina, making samgyetang a culinary form of resilience.
See more: Chinese soups for health
2. Si shen tang (four spirit soup) — China
Rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), si shen tang is made with Chinese yam, lotus seeds, fox nuts and poria (a type of medicinal fungus). These ingredients are believed to support the spleen and digestive function, making this healing broth a go-to for fatigue, poor appetite or burnout. The broth is light, earthy and subtly sweet, a quiet antidote for the overtaxed.
Other variants include ba zhen tang (eight treasure soup), prescribed for women’s health and blood deficiency, especially after childbirth or menstruation.
3. Thuoc bac chicken soup — Vietnam
In Vietnam, herbal chicken soup made with thuoc bac (a blend of Chinese medicinal herbs) is a time-tested postpartum staple. The broth usually includes red dates, angelica root, goji berries and black chicken (ga ac), prized for its supposed higher nutrient content. Slightly bitter, faintly sweet and deeply aromatic, it’s a restorative dish meant to “build the blood” and gently return the body to balance.
4. Tinolang manok and nilagang manok (Filipino chicken soups) — Philippines
In Filipino homes, wellness often simmers quietly in the form of tinola, which is a ginger-based chicken broth with green papaya and malunggay (moringa leaves), revered for its immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. Served hot and usually with rice, tinola is given to new mothers, sick children or just about anyone needing comfort.
Equally healing is nilaga, a boiled beef or pork soup with cabbage, potatoes and saba bananas. This healing broth is not overtly medicinal, but in Filipino culture, food is medicine when it’s made with care and meant to nourish a weary body.
5. Tom kha gai — Thailand
Coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime and chicken form the base of tom kha gai, Thailand’s beloved medicinal soup. While its creamy texture and tangy-sweet profile are comfort in a bowl, each ingredient plays double duty: galangal aids digestion, lemongrass calms inflammation and coconut milk soothes the gut. It’s a dish often served to the unwell or the emotionally depleted. In Thai households, it’s healing disguised as indulgence.
6. Sup ayam and jamu-infused broths — Indonesia
Sup ayam, Indonesia’s chicken soup, is often bolstered with turmeric and ginger. These are ingredients central to the country’s jamu (herbal medicine) tradition. It’s light but warming, designed to chase away colds and fatigue. Some households go further, infusing the broth with temulawak (Java ginger), believed to support liver function and boost immunity.
7. Bak kut teh (pork bone tea) — Malaysia
Translating loosely to “meat bone tea”, bak kut teh is a Hokkien-style herbal soup made from pork ribs simmered with star anise, cinnamon, angelica root and licorice. Originally eaten by Chinese labourers for strength and stamina, it’s now a beloved breakfast dish in Klang and beyond. Though heavier than most healing broths, it’s still viewed as restorative, especially when served with rice and plenty of garlic.
8. Okayu and medicinal miso — Japan
When sick or depleted, many Japanese turn to okayu, a simple rice porridge served with broth or miso. Light on the stomach and often topped with umeboshi (pickled plum) or grated ginger, okayu is less about bold flavour and more about digestibility and ease. Miso soup itself—with its fermented base and seaweed—is rich in probiotics and minerals, forming a daily health ritual more than a special cure.
9. Bak kut teh (pork bone tea) — Singapore
In Singapore, bak kut teh arrives at the table with steam, strength and a sharp hit of white pepper. Unlike its herb-forward Malaysian cousin, the Teochew-style version is leaner and clearer. Its broth is light in colour but bold in flavour, thanks to a heady mix of garlic and crushed peppercorns. It’s served with pork ribs, rice and the ever-essential pot of strong Chinese tea, which supposedly helps “cut through the grease”.
Though it lacks the overt medicinal profile of the Klang-style broth, this bak kut teh is still viewed as quietly therapeutic: the pepper clears sinuses, the garlic aids digestion and the warm broth revives the body on rainy mornings or long days. In hawker centres and old-school coffee shops alike, it’s a beloved breakfast or lunch, restorative without the ceremony. It doesn’t claim to heal everything, but it never fails to make you feel sharper, clearer and somehow more awake.
Sarah Lim is a lifestyle journalist based in Manila, the Philippines. She is part of Tatler T-Labs, Tatler’s regional content hub.
