Fresh Lotus Leaf, Winter Melon and Green Bean Dampness-Clearing Soup

Why people make this soup

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a highly contagious viral illness that tends to circulate every summer in subtropical Asia, primarily affecting children under five. It presents with fever, oral blisters that cause pain on eating, and a rash of spots or blisters on the hands, feet, and buttocks. Because the mouth sores make swallowing painful, children often refuse food — and a cool, clear, gently sweet soup is one of the few things they will accept.

In Chinese food therapy, this combination of lotus leaf, winter melon, and cooling legumes addresses what is called “damp-heat” — the pattern most associated with summer infectious illnesses. Nourilo recommends this soup not only for children already unwell but for the whole family as a preventive measure during outbreak season: a healthy spleen and digestive system is considered the best defence against viral intestinal pathogens in traditional thinking.