Fresh Lily Mung Bean Sweet Soup

Why people make this soup

On a sweltering summer night, when the heat lingers indoors and a good night’s sleep feels out of reach, this is the soup Nourilo reaches for. It has only three ingredients: mung beans, fresh lily bulbs, and a little rock sugar — yet the combination is wonderfully satisfying. In traditional Cantonese food therapy, the pairing of mung bean and lily bulb is one of the classic summer combinations, valued both for its cooling quality and its calming effect on the mind.

Fresh lily bulbs have a delicate, slightly sweet flavour and a soft, silky texture when cooked. They are available at Chinese and Asian grocery stores in summer. Dried lily bulbs can be substituted with equal effectiveness, though the fresh version has a more elegant taste.

Method

1. Soak the mung beans in water for 1 hour, then drain and discard the soaking water.
2. Separate the lily bulb into individual petals and rinse thoroughly.
3. Place the drained mung beans in a pot with 1.8 L of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium-low simmer for 40 minutes.
4. Add the lily bulb petals and rock sugar. Simmer for a further 15 minutes until the lily bulb is soft and the sugar has dissolved.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature. This soup can also be chilled, though frequent cold drinks are not recommended for those with a sensitive digestive system.

Nourilo’s Tips

Do not remove the mung bean skins when they float to the surface during cooking — the skin contains much of the beneficial properties of the bean and is perfectly fine to eat. Rock sugar gives the cleanest, most cooling flavour for this dish; slab sugar has more of an activating, warming quality and is not the traditional choice here. Dried tangerine peel (chen pi) or water chestnuts (ma ti) can be added for extra flavour if desired.