Soups
Black Bean, Wheat Berry and Persimmon Soup
traditionally used to nourish the heart, support blood circulation, and benefit middle-aged and older adults
Why people make this soup
As we get older, the heart requires a little more care. Chinese food-therapy thinking groups several conditions — coronary artery disease, an enlarged heart, weakened heart function, irregular heartbeat — under the concept of the heart being insufficiently nourished by blood. The approach is not to treat these directly, but to make the daily diet as supportive as possible. This recipe does that with three thoughtfully chosen ingredients: black soybeans to nourish the kidney (which, in Chinese medicine, provides the root energy for the heart), wheat berries to calm the heart and spirit, and dried persimmons to gently smooth heart circulation. Red dates tie everything together with a gentle sweetness and blood-nourishing quality. The result is a soup that can be taken as a sweet or savoury broth and is mild enough for daily use.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Middle-aged and older adults as a heart-supportive wellness soup; can be taken 2–3 times per week as a general tonic
- Those with a diagnosed enlarged heart may take it daily for 3 weeks to see whether symptoms improve
- People with high blood pressure are also suited to this soup
- Those with gout should replace black soybeans with adzuki beans (chi xiao dou, 1 liang), which have a very low purine content; adzuki beans also suit those with stomach ulcers
- If you have high blood pressure plus protein in the urine, replace black soybeans with pearl barley (yi mi, 1 liang)
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Black soybeans, green-fleshed (qing ren hei dou): Dry-fried before cooking to warm the quality slightly; associated with nourishing kidney, which in turn supports heart health
- Wheat berries (mai mi): Small whole wheat grains available in Asian grocery stores; in food-therapy tradition, wheat is associated with nourishing the heart and calming the mind — the classic ingredient in the “floating wheat spirit-calming” preparations of Chinese medicine
- Dried persimmons (jing shi / shi bing): The white powdery coating on the outside of dried persimmons (called shi shuang) is considered beneficial and should not be washed off — a light rinse is all that is needed; persimmons are traditionally associated with lubricating the heart and lungs and gently cooling heat in the chest
- Red dates (hong zao): A classic qi and blood tonic; pit them before cooking
Ingredients (2–3 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black soybeans, green-fleshed | ~38 g (1 liang) | Dry-fry in a pan without oil until fragrant before cooking |
| Wheat berries (mai mi) | ~75 g (2 liang) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| Red dates, pitted | 10 pieces | |
| Dried persimmons (jing shi) | 3 pieces | Available at Chinese herb shops; the white powder coating is beneficial — rinse very gently. Substitute: 2 persimmon cakes (shi bing) |
| Water | 8 bowls (~1.9 L) | Reduce to 2–3 bowls |
Method
- Dry-fry the black soybeans in a pan over medium heat, without any oil, until you hear them pop and the skins begin to split. Set aside.
- Pit the red dates and rinse all remaining ingredients.
- Combine all ingredients in a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 2 hours until 2–3 bowls remain.
- Serve as a sweet soup (add rock sugar to taste) or add lean pork for a savoury version.
- For the 3-week course (for those with heart enlargement), drink daily; for general wellness, take every other day or 2–3 times per week.
Bro Niu’s tips
Dried persimmons (jing shi) are sold at Chinese medicine shops and some fruit stalls. The white powdery layer on their surface is called persimmon frost (shi shuang) and is traditionally considered to have a beneficial soothing action on the throat and chest — just rinse lightly, do not scrub it off. If you only have fresh persimmons, use 3–4 pieces; they will dissolve into the soup somewhat, but the soup still works. Wheat berries (mai mi) are sold at ordinary grocery stores — they are the small yellowish grains used in mixed congee; they are not the same as maltose (mai ya). If you are worried about the black soybeans being too warming when dry-fried, you can skip the frying step and use them plain.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Kaka): My father is in his 80s. A recent chest X-ray showed an enlarged heart, anaemia, and weak kidney function. He is on blood pressure medication and is very worried. Can he drink this soup? Bro Niu: For the water retention and swelling in his legs, first make a soup with poria (fu ling, 5 qian), white atractylodes (bai zhu, 3 qian), hyacinth bean skin (bian dou yi, 3 qian), winter melon peel (dong gua pi, 5 qian), one fresh corn cob with silk, and 4 figs — boil with lean pork; the whole family can drink it. For the enlarged heart, the black bean wheat persimmon soup is suitable — you can add pearl barley (yi mi, 1 liang) to also help with water retention. I also recommend seeing a Chinese medicine doctor who can prescribe a tailored formula for an elderly patient on blood pressure medication.
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Q (Yin): I have a heart that is a little enlarged. After drinking this soup for about a month, my follow-up check said it was no longer a major concern. But my blood pressure spiked at the clinic. What soup helps with emotional tension and unstable blood pressure? Bro Niu: Try a calming soup with wheat berry (1 liang), poria spirit (fu shen, 5 qian), honey-fried licorice (zhi gan cao, 2 qian), lily bulb (bai he, 5 qian), and south dates (6 pieces) — simmer in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls, 3–4 times a week for a month. It is warming and suitable for the stomach. For blood pressure, regularly juicing apple and celery together is also effective and safe to do 3 days a week.
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Q (Jennifer): My mother-in-law has heart enlargement but also gout. She cannot have black soybeans. Is there a substitute? Bro Niu: Replace black soybeans with adzuki beans (chi xiao dou, 1 liang) — adzuki beans have very low purine content and are suitable for those with gout. They also suit those who have had stomach ulcers. No need to fry adzuki beans beforehand.
Published March 6, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 5 min read.
