Soups
Bottle Gourd, Adzuki Bean and Barley Soup
traditionally used to support urinary comfort and reduce summer dampness
Why people make this soup
When summer heat is at its peak, drinking too little water — especially for children — can quickly lead to dark, scanty urine or a burning sensation when going to the bathroom. This classic cooling soup pairs bottle gourd with adzuki beans, flat beans and barley for a broth that is mildly sweet, refreshing and very easy to drink. In traditional food therapy, this combination is associated with relieving summer heaviness and supporting the body’s natural urinary function. It is a family-friendly recipe, suitable for adults and children alike.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Well suited to those who experience dark urine, puffiness around the face and legs, or general heaviness during hot, humid weather
- Good for the whole family, including children, as a seasonal summer soup
- People with a cold, weak digestion (cold constitution / spleen-stomach deficiency) should use with care — the soup is somewhat cooling in nature. Adding a piece of dried tangerine peel (chen pi) can moderate this quality
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Bottle gourd (hu lu gua): Considered a key ingredient in traditional Chinese food therapy for supporting water metabolism; associated with clearing summer heat and easing fluid retention
- Adzuki beans (chi xiao dou): Mild and sweet; traditionally used to support the body’s drainage of dampness and support healthy urinary flow
- Hyacinth / flat beans (bian dou): Thought to harmonise the middle digestive system and help resolve dampness without being overly cooling
- Job’s tears / barley (yi mi): Well known in East Asian food therapy for its association with clearing dampness and supporting digestive comfort; the raw (untoasted) form is used here for its stronger draining effect
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle gourd (hu lu gua) | 1 medium (~600–800 g) | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Adzuki beans (chi xiao dou) | ~37 g (1 liang) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| Hyacinth / flat beans (bian dou) | ~37 g (1 liang) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| Job’s tears / barley (yi mi) | ~37 g (1 liang) | Rinse; untoasted preferred for this recipe |
| Rock sugar (bing tang) | To taste | Add near the end |
| Water | 8 bowls (~1.6 L) | Reduce to 4 bowls |
Method
- Peel the bottle gourd, remove seeds and cut into medium chunks.
- Rinse the adzuki beans, flat beans and barley; soak in cold water for 20–30 minutes.
- Place all ingredients (except rock sugar) into a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a medium-low simmer.
- Cook for about 2 hours, until the liquid has reduced to roughly 4 bowls and the beans are soft.
- Add rock sugar to taste, stir until dissolved, and serve. Drink the broth and eat the solids.
Bro Niu’s tips
- This soup can be served slightly sweetened as a dessert-style soup, or left unsweetened as a savoury-adjacent drink — either way works.
- For those concerned about the soup’s cooling nature, add one piece of dried tangerine peel (chen pi) and cook it together from the start; this helps warm the stomach and adds a pleasant aroma.
- If you prefer a savoury version, skip the rock sugar and cook with a small amount of lean pork instead — the flavour is equally good.
- Cook for the full 2 hours to ensure the soup is not overly cooling.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (reader): Can this soup be used if someone has kidney stones or a fatty liver? Bro Niu: For kidney stones and fatty liver, reduce fatty foods, exercise regularly and drink plenty of water. You can use cogon grass root (mao gen), fresh corn silk, and either winter melon or bottle gourd, 5 bowls of water simmered down to 2–3 bowls, twice a week. This helps clear heat and dampness gently.
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Q (Irene mama): Can I skip the rock sugar and cook this with lean pork instead? Bro Niu: Yes, absolutely — cooking with lean pork is fine.
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Q (reader, 匿名访客): Should the gourd be cooked with the skin on? And if I have a cold constitution, does adding dried tangerine peel help? Bro Niu: You can cook it with the skin on. Adding chen pi (dried tangerine peel) does reduce the cooling nature and also helps with stomach harmony. Just make sure to simmer for at least 2 hours and it won’t be too cooling.
Published August 6, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
