Soups
Wheat, Sour Jujube Seed, Cypress Nut and Lily Bulb Soup
Traditionally calms the mind, supports restful sleep, and eases anxious moods
Why people make this soup
After months of pandemic restrictions — lockdowns, isolation, constant uncertainty — a lot of people quietly started to feel it: the low energy, the sleepless nights, the free-floating anxiety, the sense that they just could not switch off. Bro Niu wanted to offer something practical and gentle. This soup brings together several ingredients that traditional Chinese food therapy has used for centuries specifically to calm the heart-mind, ease restless nights, and lift a deflated spirit. There is no bitterness, no powerful medicinal smell — just a soft, slightly sweet soup that the whole family can drink comfortably.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for adults and children experiencing mild low mood, sleep difficulties, heart palpitations, or the kind of anxious restlessness that follows prolonged stress or illness
- Suitable for people with hypertension or “three highs” — those with diabetes can reduce the red date quantity by half
- Not suitable for breastfeeding mothers (due to the wheat grain); substitute millet instead
- This soup is gentle and neither cooling nor heating; suitable for long-term use
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Whole wheat grain (xiao mai mi): Not to be confused with floating wheat (fu xiao mai) used for stopping sweating — this is the whole grain from grocery stores. Traditionally associated with nourishing the heart, calming the mind, and easing restlessness and poor sleep.
- Sour jujube seed (suan zao ren): One of the classic sedative herbs of traditional Chinese medicine; associated with nourishing liver blood and calming the spirit; well-suited for anxiety-driven insomnia and heart palpitations
- Cypress nut (bai zi ren): A gentle heart-nourishing seed; associated with calming the mind and also moistening the intestines — helpful for the constipation that often accompanies stress and anxiety
- Red dates (hong zao): Warm and sweet; build qi, nourish the heart, and calm the spirit; add natural sweetness to the soup
- Lily bulb (bai he): Clears mild heart fire and settles a restless, unsettled mind; a classic cooling complement to the warming dates and wheat
- Poria skin (fu ling pi): The skin of poria mushroom; gently supports heart and spirit while its main action is to drain dampness through urination; a mild ingredient that will not deplete the body
Ingredients (3–4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Whole wheat grain (xiao mai mi) | 37 g (1 liang) | From grocery stores; not floating wheat |
| Sour jujube seed (suan zao ren) | 15 g (4 qian) | From Chinese medicine shop |
| Cypress nut (bai zi ren) | 15 g (4 qian) | From Chinese medicine shop |
| Red dates (hong zao) | 6–8 | Pitted |
| Fresh lily bulb (bai he) | 37 g (1 liang) | Rinsed and soaked briefly |
| Poria skin (fu ling pi) | 18 g (5 qian) | From Chinese medicine shop; poria mushroom (fu shen) is even better if available |
Method
- Rinse all ingredients and soak briefly in cold water.
- Pit the red dates.
- Place all ingredients in a pot with 7 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour until reduced to 3–4 bowls.
- Serve warm. Drink 1–2 bowls per day.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is gentle, balanced in temperature, and not at all medicinal-tasting. Beyond its calming effect, it also supports the spleen and drains mild dampness, making it a versatile everyday soup. Breastfeeding mothers should swap the wheat grain for millet (xiao mi), which carries no risk of reducing milk supply. Note: small wheat grain (xiao mai mi) is not the same as floating wheat (fu xiao mai) — the latter is used specifically to stop sweating and is sold in Chinese medicine shops, while whole wheat grain is found at any grocery store.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (superpig): Is xiao mai mi the same as floating wheat (fu xiao mai)? Bro Niu: No — xiao mai mi is the whole wheat grain used for congee and porridge, sold at grocery stores. Floating wheat (fu xiao mai) is mainly used to stop excessive sweating and is sold at Chinese medicine shops.
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Q (meimei): What is the difference between fu ling (poria) and fu ling pi (poria skin)? Bro Niu: The main body of fu ling is better at strengthening the spleen; fu ling pi is better at draining water and reducing swelling. I have not heard that eating yam (huai shan) at night affects sleep — that is likely a myth. It is strong ginger and concentrated tea or coffee that genuinely disrupt sleep.
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Q (May): I have great difficulty falling asleep every night, sometimes staying awake until dawn. I have hypertension and a yin-deficient constitution. What can help? Bro Niu: Try fu shen (poria with pine root) 18 g, lily bulb 18 g, stir-fried ziziphus seed 11 g, night-blooming jasmine vine (ye jiao teng) 18 g, and 4 south jujubes, simmered in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls. Three servings should help settle sleep. This formula is also suitable for yin-deficient constitutions.
Published March 31, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
