Eyebrow Bean, Winter Melon & Chicken Feet Soup

Why people make this soup

If you spend long hours sitting at a desk or standing at work, you may notice your ankles and feet puffing up by evening. This is common and usually due to fluid pooling in the lower limbs rather than anything serious. That said, Bro Niu always recommends a simple check-up to rule out heart, kidney, or other causes before relying on food therapy alone. For everyday, constitution-related puffiness, this hearty soup has been a go-to in Cantonese households for generations. The combination of eyebrow beans, peanuts, winter melon, and collagen-rich chicken feet is believed to support the spleen, encourage gentle fluid drainage, and nourish without being too rich.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits most people, including pregnant women (particularly nourishing for expectant mothers)
• Suitable for children and the elderly; a good family everyday soup
• If you have persistent, significant leg swelling — particularly if accompanied by shortness of breath or a tight sensation in the chest — please see a doctor rather than relying on soup

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Eyebrow beans (mei dou): In Chinese food therapy, these are associated with supporting the spleen and stomach, and with gently encouraging the body’s fluid regulation. They have a mild, pleasant flavour.
• Raw peanuts (hua sheng): Nourishing and sustaining; add body to the soup and are traditionally said to support the spleen.
• Winter melon with skin (dong gua): One of the best-known ingredients in Chinese food therapy for supporting fluid balance and reducing puffiness. Keeping the skin on enhances this property.
• Chicken feet (ji jiao): Rich in collagen and gelatin, which benefit joints and skin. Their slow-cooked quality makes this soup deeply satisfying and rounds out the flavour.
• Ginger (sheng jiang): Warms the stomach and enhances absorption of the other ingredients.

Ingredients (4 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Eyebrow beans (mei dou)	~75 g	Soak for 30 minutes beforehand
Raw peanuts	~75 g	Soak for 30 minutes
Winter melon with skin	~600 g	Wash skin well; cut into chunks
Fresh ginger	2 slices
Chicken feet	3 pairs	Remove nails; blanch first
Water	6–7 bowls

Method

1. Soak the eyebrow beans and raw peanuts in cold water for about 30 minutes. Drain.
2. Wash the winter melon thoroughly, keeping the skin on. Cut into large chunks.
3. Remove the nails from the chicken feet. Blanch in a pot of boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then drain and rinse. (This step removes impurities and any unpleasant flavour.)
4. Place all ingredients into a soup pot. Add 6–7 bowls of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for about 1.5 hours, until the soup reduces to approximately 4 bowls.
6. Serve the soup and all the solid ingredients together — eat the beans, peanuts, and winter melon as well as drinking the broth.

Bro Niu’s tips

This soup is genuinely nutritious for the whole family. Pregnant women can enjoy it regularly, and it works well as an everyday household soup rather than something reserved for when someone is unwell. You can add a cob of corn for sweetness and extra fibre — corn with the silk included also adds a mild diuretic effect.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Mag): Is this soup suitable to drink when you have a cold or sore throat? Bro Niu: It’s better to hold off on the chicken feet soup while you have a sore throat. Instead, try a light soup with coriander, spring onion, and sliced fish, or a broth with green olives, white radish, and figs — both are better at soothing throat inflammation during a cold.

• Q (2宝妈咪): I’m 20 weeks pregnant — what soups are suitable? Bro Niu: At 20 weeks, most moderately nourishing soups that aren’t overly warming are fine. This soup is a good option. You can also browse the pregnancy section of the website for more ideas.

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Published August 28, 2013 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.