Fresh Smilax, Four o'Clock Root, Beans and Barley Pork Rib Soup

Why people make this soup

Nourilo tells the story plainly: a few days of too much goose and fried yellow croaker — both “triggering” foods (fa wu) — left his arms itching, since he reacts to yellow croaker. Everyone’s constitution differs, he notes; once you’ve found your own triggers, eating less of them keeps trouble away. This soup pairs fresh smilax and four o’clock root, both traditionally used to clear heat, with beans and barley to help drain damp — a comforting bowl when rich foods have left the skin unsettled.