Kudzu Root, Adzuki Bean, Coix Seed and Dace Fish Soup

Why people make this soup

Stress, late nights, and poor diet have a way of showing up on the skin — especially for young adults who find acne appearing not just on the face but across the chest and back as well. From a traditional Chinese food-therapy perspective, this pattern is often linked to an accumulation of internal heat and dampness, and the approach is to help the body clear it through nourishing, flavourful food rather than restriction alone.

This soup — kudzu root with adzuki beans, coix seeds, and dace fish — turns out a beautiful milky broth that is deeply savoury. Beyond its reputation for supporting skin clarity, Nourilo notes it has traditionally been used for general body aches, muscle tension in the shoulders and neck, and puffiness around the eyes.

Method

1. Peel the kudzu root, rinse, and cut into large chunks.
2. Soak and rinse the adzuki beans and coix seeds.
3. Pan-fry the dace fish in a little oil until lightly golden on both sides. Place the fried fish in a soup bag (to keep the bones contained).
4. Place all ingredients — kudzu, beans, coix seeds, ginger, honey dates, and the soup bag of fish — into a pot with 2.4 L of water.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 hours, until the broth turns milky and the soup reduces to about 1.2 L.
6. Serve warm. The broth is the main focus; you may eat the kudzu and beans as well.

Nourilo’s Tips

If you can get dace fish that has already been filleted at the fishmonger, the broth turns out a beautiful ivory-white colour and is exceptionally flavourful. The fried dace can be placed in a soup bag so you do not have to worry about small bones in the broth. Coix seeds are not suitable for pregnant women — substitute with flat beans (bian dou) 38 g instead. You can also add fresh earth poria (tu fu ling) 75 g to this soup for added skin-clearing effect.