Codonopsis Red Jujube Peanut Soup

Why people make this soup

Thrombocytopenic purpura — the medical term for a condition where the body’s platelet count falls too low — can produce symptoms that Chinese medicine associates with long-standing deficiency: a sallow complexion, easy fatigue, recurring skin bruising, spontaneous nosebleeds or gum bleeding, and a general sense of feeling unwell. Nourilo explains that in traditional Chinese medicine, this cluster of symptoms is often interpreted as the spleen’s qi being too weak to “hold blood in its vessels.” The strategy is therefore to strengthen qi and nourish blood rather than to address bleeding directly. The three ingredients in this soup — codonopsis, red-skin peanuts, and red jujubes — are all classically used for exactly this purpose, and together they form one of the most straightforward food-therapy soups for this type of presentation.

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients. Pit the jujubes. Keep the red skins on the peanuts — this is important.
2. Place all ingredients in a pot with 1.5 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes until the liquid reduces to 600 ml.
4. Serve the soup and eat the peanuts and jujubes — consume everything.

Nourilo’s Tips

The peanuts in this recipe must have their red inner skins intact — not the outer shell, but the thin papery red skin that clings to the nut. This skin contains the compounds most associated with supporting healthy clotting. Do not use pre-skinned or blanched peanuts; they will not provide the same benefit. Note that while this soup can benefit people without platelet issues who simply have blood deficiency or pallor, anyone who has confirmed low platelet count should seek proper medical care — food therapy works best as a complement to medical treatment, not a replacement. People with high blood pressure: simply substitute 600 g of lotus root for the codonopsis root and you have a soup the whole family can enjoy.