Isatis Leaf Mung Bean Soup; Lotus Leaf Winter Melon Coix Water

Why people make these drinks

When flu season strikes — or when the weather is hot and humid and people around you are falling sick — these two drinks are Nourilo’s recommended preventive measures. They work on different angles of summer illness:

The first, Isatis Leaf and Mung Bean Soup, leans into its strong heat-clearing and detoxifying reputation. Isatis leaf (da qing ye) is the same plant whose root (ban lan gen) became famous during SARS in Hong Kong and is widely used in Chinese herbal medicine for its antiviral and antibacterial associations. Combined with mung beans, this is a simple, potent summer protective drink.

The second, Lotus Leaf Winter Melon Coix Water, takes a slightly gentler, more aromatic approach — it drains summer dampness, helps with summer heat, clears fluid retention, and lifts the mood with the fragrance of fresh spearmint.

Recipe 1 — Isatis Leaf Mung Bean Soup (3–4 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Isatis leaf	38 g	Rinse
Mung beans	76 g	Rinse and soak briefly

Recipe 2 — Lotus Leaf Winter Melon Coix Water (3–4 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Fresh lotus leaf	1 large sheet (12 g)	Rinse, cut into pieces
Winter melon	600 g	Keep skin on; wash well, cut into chunks
Raw Job’s tears	38 g	Rinse and soak briefly
Spearmint	76 g	Remove stems, rinse; added at the end

Method

Recipe 1:

1. Rinse and soak the mung beans for 20 minutes.
2. Combine mung beans and isatis leaf with 2.1 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour until reduced to 0.9–1.2 L.
4. Strain if preferred, or drink as-is. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe 2:

1. Rinse the lotus leaf and cut into large pieces.
2. Wash the winter melon — keep the skin on; cut into chunks.
3. Rinse and soak the coix seed for 20 minutes.
4. Combine lotus leaf, winter melon, and coix seed with 2.1 L of water.
5. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour until reduced to 0.9–1.2 L.
6. Add the spearmint leaves; bring back to a brief boil and simmer a further 10 minutes.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nourilo’s Tips

Both drinks are simple, accessible summer staples. For Recipe 2, if you cannot find spearmint, you can omit it and instead add poria mushroom (fu ling) 19 g — this helps with spleen-dampness without adding coldness. For the lotus leaf: try to use a fresh, deeply green leaf; older leaves that have turned yellow or brown will be bitter and much less pleasant. A very fresh lotus leaf will be slightly fragrant even when raw. If using dried lotus leaf, half a sheet is usually sufficient.