Floating Wheat and Black Bean Soup (Fu Xiao Mai Hei Dou Tang)

Why people make this soup

Many young children sweat heavily during sleep — soaking their pyjamas despite a comfortable room temperature, with sweat that has no salt smell and is noticeably different from the normal sweat of exertion. In traditional Chinese food therapy, this kind of soft, odourless sweating is called “deficiency sweating” (xu han) and is considered a sign that the body’s ability to hold moisture in place is temporarily weakened. If left unaddressed over time, it can contribute to fatigue, poor concentration, and a general sense of depletion. Adults with similar night sweats — waking with damp clothing or bedding — can benefit from the same approach. This simple, gentle soup is one of the most frequently recommended remedies in Nourilo’s many years of answering readers’ questions, and the feedback has consistently been positive.

Method

1. Soak the black beans in cold water for 30 minutes to soften slightly. Drain and discard the soaking water.
2. Optional but recommended: dry-toast the soaked and drained black beans in a clean, dry wok over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the skin begins to crack slightly and a pleasant aroma develops. This is said to enhance their nourishing effect.
3. Rinse the floating wheat, red dates, and lean pork. Cut the pork into pieces.
4. Place all ingredients into a pot. Add 1.8 L of water.
5. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 1 hour.
6. Divide into 2 portions and take twice in one day. For children, this quantity is for 1 day. Repeat for 3 to 5 consecutive days.

Nourilo’s Tips

• Black beans should be the black-skinned, green-fleshed variety for the best nourishing effect. Dry-toasting them in a clean wok before adding to the soup enhances their therapeutic benefit.
• For babies 5–7 months old: use floating wheat 11 g (9 g) with 900 ml of water, cook to half a bowl, and give as a small daily supplement. Lean pork and dates can be added for older babies.
• For babies around 6 months to 1 year: use floating wheat 11 g, black beans 38 g (37 g), black/red dates 4 pieces, 1.5 L of water cooked to 600 ml. Take 3 servings.
• To add both stop-sweating and nasal congestion support for babies: add 5 lightly crushed magnolia flower buds (xin yi hua) to the soup.
• For adults with profuse sweating: add astragalus root (bei qi / huang qi) 11 g to the recipe to further strengthen the qi and stop sweating.
• If a child has a cough or phlegm alongside the sweating: reduce the number of red dates and add dried tangerine peel (chen pi) 1 piece to help reduce phlegm.
• Do NOT give this soup during fever. Wait until the fever has fully cleared first.