Soups
Fresh Lotus Leaf, Red Bean and Winter Melon Soup
Traditionally used to clear heat, strengthen the spleen and help ward off seasonal illness
Why people make this soup
Hand, foot and mouth disease tends to peak in warmer months, and children as well as the elderly are most susceptible. While good hygiene and avoiding crowded spaces remain the first line of defence, traditional Chinese medicine suggests that supporting the spleen, clearing internal heat and resolving dampness can help the body maintain resilience during these periods. The three organ systems most involved in this illness — the lungs, spleen and heart — can all be nurtured through everyday food choices.
Lotus leaf, adzuki beans, flat hyacinth beans, and winter melon are all classic heat-clearing, dampness-resolving ingredients that appear together repeatedly in Cantonese family cooking during summer. This soup is mild, pleasant to drink, and safe for the whole family as a regular preventive measure.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for the whole family, including young children and elderly
- Particularly helpful during hot, humid weather when dampness accumulates and heat builds
- A light, slightly cooling soup; those with a very cold constitution may add a slice or two of ginger to warm it slightly
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Fresh lotus leaf (xian he ye): Traditionally clears summer heat, promotes diuresis, reduces swelling and is associated with a refreshing, dispersing action on heat in the body
- Adzuki beans (chi xiao dou): Drains dampness, supports kidney function, nourishes the heart; a classic ingredient in Chinese medicine for managing damp-heat conditions
- Flat hyacinth beans (bai bian dou): Strengthens the spleen, resolves dampness, harmonises the stomach — especially associated with the spleen organ system in food therapy
- Winter melon (dong gua): Clears heat, promotes diuresis, reduces phlegm; keeping the skin on enhances its water-regulating properties
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh lotus leaf | 1 whole leaf | Rinse well; cut or tear into pieces |
| Adzuki beans | 38 g | Soak and rinse before using |
| Flat white hyacinth beans | 38 g | Soak and rinse before using |
| Winter melon | 600 g | Keep the skin on; cut into chunks |
Method
- Rinse the fresh lotus leaf and tear or cut it into smaller pieces.
- Cut the winter melon (with skin) into chunks.
- Soak and rinse the adzuki beans and flat beans; drain.
- Place all ingredients into a pot with 8 bowls (approximately 1.9 litres) of water.
- Bring to a boil and simmer until the soup reduces to 4–5 bowls, roughly 35–40 minutes.
- Drink the soup; you can also eat the beans and winter melon.
Bro Niu’s tips
Fresh lotus leaf is available at Chinese or Asian grocers and herbal suppliers, or online. During summer, Bro Niu recommends using fresh lotus leaf often — either in soups or to make congee, where it adds a lovely cooling fragrance and helps manage summer heat, reduce fluid retention and even support healthy weight.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Can): I do not have winter melon. Can I use fuzzy melon (jit gua) instead? Bro Niu: Yes, fuzzy melon works fine as a substitute.
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Q (noratis): Fresh lotus leaf has such a lovely fragrance — it reminds me of my grandmother making lotus-leaf congee for us back in the village every summer. Bro Niu: The aroma really is wonderful. Fresh lotus leaf is worth seeking out during the height of summer — the fragrance it brings to soups and congee is truly special.
Published June 1, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
