Soups
Red Bean, Hyacinth Bean and Old Cucumber Soup
Traditionally used to clear summer heat and damp and support clearer skin
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 Bro Niu 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.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People who feel sluggish and overheated in summer, or whose skin tends to break out in hot, humid weather; also said to be helpful for those with puffiness in the limbs.
- This is a cooling soup, so if you run cold or have a weak, easily-upset stomach, go easy. As with any persistent or severe skin condition, please see a doctor.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Old cucumber (lao huang gua): traditionally cooling and thought to clear summer heat and help drain excess water.
- Adzuki / red beans (chi xiao dou): associated with draining damp and reducing puffiness.
- Hyacinth beans (bian dou): traditionally used to support the spleen and resolve dampness.
- Dried figs (wu hua guo): add natural sweetness and are traditionally seen as gentle and moistening.
- Pork shin (zhu zhan): a lean meat that gives the soup body and flavor.
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Old cucumber | 1 | Cored before cooking |
| Adzuki / red beans | ~75 g (2 taels) | Rinse and soak |
| Hyacinth beans | ~38 g (1 tael) | Rinse and soak; pan-toasted ones boost the spleen-supporting effect |
| Dried figs | 4 | — |
| Pork shin | ~600 g (1 catty) | Blanch first |
Method
- Core the old cucumber. Blanch the pork shin in boiling water, then rinse.
- Rinse and soak the adzuki beans and hyacinth beans.
- Put everything in a pot, add enough water to cover well, and simmer about 2 hours.
- Season lightly and serve — you can eat the ingredients along with the soup.
Bro Niu’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 (1 tael) of raw Job’s tears (sheng yi mi) to the pot for extra damp-draining support.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Queenie): I’m vegetarian — if I leave out the meat, do I need another ingredient to replace it? Bro Niu: You can use nuts or beans in place of the meat. A lot of the vitamins in vegetables and fruit (A, D, E, K) are fat-soluble, so a little oil from nuts actually helps your body absorb them.
- Q (Celine): Can I add carrot and corn to this soup? Bro Niu: Yes, you can add carrot and corn.
- Q (Celine): Is it better to pan-fry the hyacinth beans before adding them? Bro Niu: Toasted hyacinth beans have a stronger spleen-supporting effect. Chinese herb shops sell pre-toasted ones, or you can dry-toast them yourself.
Published March 4, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
