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Silas Lee knew the Portland metro area had several well-connected Asian communities before he moved to town with his wife, Grace, but says he is surprised by how strong the cross-cultural response has been to AHMA Healing Soup (333 SE 2nd Ave., 541-536-4018, ahmahealingsoup.com), the Cantonese medicinal soup shop blending ingredient kits and premade cups of traditional herbal soup from seasonally fresh ingredients.
“We’re finding a lot of American-born Chinese, Vietnamese people who are super excited by it because it’s nostalgic for them,” he says. “They’re like, oh, these are the soups that my mom used to make when I was a kid.’”
AHMA soft launched in June and offers home delivery. The Lees will sell AHMA blends at the Legendary Makers Market in Beaverton on July 26–28. Since tea recipes are passed through culture, not cookbooks—and often made using whatever fresh ingredients are handy and in season—the Lees crafted AHMA’s blends with help from Cinci Leung, founder of the Hong Kong soup business CheckCheckCin, and chef Jeff Adair. Their favorite AHMA recipes (all $15.99) are the pork-based recovery soup, and the Four Seasons immune-boosting soup.
When Grace became pregnant, Silas wanted her to have access to the same soup culture he had grown up with in Hong Kong, where cozy shopkeepers could prepare teas to soothe any number of ailments. Healing tea culture is especially important for pregnancy and postpartum care. The Lees’ daughter inspired them to study Cantonese medicinal soup.
“He grew up in that environment, and that was something that we wanted to share with her,” Grace Lee says.
See the rest of Willamette Week’s Best of Portland 2024 here!