Soups
Mung Bean, Coix Seed, Old Cucumber and Carrot Lean Pork Soup
traditionally associated with clearing summer heat, supporting urination and relieving skin breakouts
Why people make this soup
As summer arrives and the heat builds, many people notice their skin flaring — breakouts, congested pores, that heavy feeling in the body. In Cantonese food therapy, these are signs of accumulated heat and dampness that need to be cleared from the inside out. Old (mature) yellow cucumber is a particularly good ingredient for this: as the cucumber ripens fully on the vine, it concentrates water and fibre that act as natural diuretics, and develops plant sterols that support cholesterol balance. Combined with mung beans — perhaps the most reliable heat-clearing legume in the Cantonese pantry — and raw coix seeds for dampness relief, this soup addresses several overlapping summer complaints at once, from sluggish skin to a heavy, bloated feeling.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for most adults and children; a good family summer soup
- Particularly useful for those with skin congestion, breakouts related to gut heat, or a sense of heaviness and bloating
- Pregnant women must omit the raw coix seeds (sheng yi mi); substitute dried hyacinth bean (bian dou) or lima bean (mei dou)
- Those outside Hong Kong or Guangdong who cannot find old yellow cucumber: winter melon (with skin on) or regular cucumber work as substitutes
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Mung beans (lv dou): The classic summer cooling legume in Chinese food therapy; associated with clearing heat, detoxifying and reducing skin inflammation
- Raw coix seeds (sheng yi mi): Drains dampness and supports the spleen; the “raw” untoasted form has a stronger clearing action
- Old yellow cucumber (lao huang gua): The fully ripened cucumber has higher water and fibre content than its young green counterpart; associated with flushing toxins, promoting urination and supporting cholesterol balance; rich in natural sterols
- Carrot (gan sun): Adds natural sweetness and beta-carotene; supports digestion and balances the cooling nature of the other ingredients
- Honey dates (mi zao): Add gentle sweetness without refined sugar; traditionally used to harmonise soups
- Lean pork: Adds protein and flavour depth; blanching first gives a cleaner broth
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mung beans | ~38 g (1 liang) | Rinse and soak 30 min |
| Raw coix seeds (sheng yi mi) | ~38 g (1 liang) | Rinse and soak 30 min; omit for pregnant women |
| Old yellow cucumber (lao huang gua) | 1 piece | Scrape out the seeds and soft inner flesh; cut into chunks |
| Carrot | 1 medium | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Honey dates (mi zao) | 2 pieces | Rinse |
| Lean pork | ~300 g | Cut into thick slices; blanch in boiling water first |
| Water | 8 bowls (~2 L) |
Method
- Soak the mung beans and coix seeds in water for 30 minutes, then rinse and drain.
- Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and soft pulp from the centre of the old cucumber; cut the cucumber into rough chunks (leave the skin on for better flavour and nutrients).
- Peel the carrot and cut into chunks.
- Blanch the lean pork in boiling water briefly and drain.
- Place all ingredients into a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours until reduced to about 4 bowls.
- Serve warm. Eat the broth and the solid ingredients together — the pork, carrot and mung beans are all good to eat.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is fragrant and lightly sweet — easy for the whole family to enjoy. It is also helpful for those with gut-related skin breakouts (暗疮). Remember: pregnant women should replace the coix seeds with dried hyacinth bean (bian dou) or lima bean (mei dou). For those outside the region who cannot find old yellow cucumber, winter melon is the best substitute — keep the skin on for more benefit; cucumber can also be used, no need to remove the inner seeds.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (茱莉亚 / reader in UK): I cannot find old yellow cucumber here in the UK — what can I use instead? Bro Niu: You can use winter melon or regular cucumber as a substitute.
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Q (茱莉亚): For winter melon and regular cucumber substitutes — do I need to remove the seeds or peel them? Bro Niu: For winter melon, it is better to remove the seeds, but keep the skin on for cooking — it adds more benefit. For regular cucumber, there is no need to remove the seeds as they are small.
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Q (Kaka): My 6-year-old daughter has eczema. I found a formula online with huaishan, mung beans, lily bulbs, coix seeds and euryale seeds. Is it suitable for her? Is it too cooling? Can I add lean pork? Bro Niu: That formula is well-suited for children with spleen-deficiency and damp-heat, and is helpful for eczema. It is not cooling. Adding lean pork makes the soup tastier and does not reduce its effectiveness at all.
Published April 24, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
