Red Bean, Hyacinth Bean and Old Cucumber Soup

Why people make this soup

When the weather turns hot and the air gets heavy with humidity, a lot of younger folks find their skin acting up — breakouts, eczema, that uncomfortable flushed feeling. In the food-therapy tradition this is often read as “damp and heat.” This old-cucumber soup is the kind of thing Nourilo reaches for in muggy season: it is light, savory, and traditionally thought to strengthen the spleen, drain damp, and cool internal heat, while being gentle enough to drink as a family soup.

Method

1. Core the old cucumber. Blanch the pork shin in boiling water, then rinse.
2. Rinse and soak the adzuki beans and hyacinth beans.
3. Put everything in a pot, add enough water to cover well, and simmer about 2 hours.
4. Season lightly and serve — you can eat the ingredients along with the soup.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is also kindly to people who get puffy hands and feet. If you are specifically dealing with eczema, you can add about 38 g (38 g) of raw Job’s tears (sheng yi mi) to the pot for extra damp-draining support.