Four-Red Longan Sweet Soup

Why people make this soup

The idea behind this gentle sweet soup is beautifully simple: gather five ingredients that share a red or deep-red colour — adzuki beans, the papery skin of peanuts, goji berries, red dates, and longan — and let them work together. In traditional Chinese food therapy, red-coloured foods are associated with the heart and blood-building functions of the body. Nourilo first came across this soup from a fellow student whose friend had undergone cancer surgery; they reported that the soup helped ease fatigue and low blood-cell counts during chemotherapy. The recipe originally referenced a professor from Beijing Satellite Health Channel who described a similar formula for immune support. Whether you’re recovering from illness or simply want a warming, naturally sweet pot of something nourishing, this soup is about as easy as it gets.

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients; pit the red dates.
2. Combine everything in a pot with 2.4–3 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
4. Cook for about 30 minutes until the beans are just tender and the soup is a rich red colour.
5. Serve warm. Eat the beans, dates, and longan alongside the broth — most of the nourishment is in the ingredients, not just the liquid.

Nourilo’s Tips

The whole family can enjoy this soup. If you cannot find loose peanut skin, simply use whole red-skin peanuts (about 75 g) — the red coat on the peanut is the part you want, so avoid blanched white peanuts. For anyone with anaemia or low platelet counts, Nourilo recommends drinking this 3–4 times a week and eating some of the cooked ingredients each time. If you want extra blood-nourishing power, a few tablespoons of donkey-hide gelatin (e jiao) dissolved in the warm soup can be added.