Adzuki Bean and Job's-Tears Soup

Why people make this soup

Nourilo notes that gout often comes from irregular hours, heavy stress and too much high-purine food — mushrooms, organ meats, beans, seafood and shellfish — plus too much beer and rich, sugary, fatty eating, which all strain the body’s handling of uric acid. The first attack often hits at night, a big toe joint flaring red and hot. He stresses changing the lifestyle and diet early. While most beans run high in purines, adzuki beans are low, and both adzuki and job’s-tears are traditionally used to help the body move fluid along, which is why he pairs them here.

Method

1. Soak and rinse the adzuki beans and job’s-tears for half an hour.
2. Cook in 2.1 L of water for about 1.5 hours, reducing to 900 ml. Serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is mild and fragrant, fine for young and old, and traditionally seen as helpful for guarding against fatty liver. It is not suitable during pregnancy.