Soups
Jicama, Chayote and Carrot Vegetable Soup
Traditionally associated with supporting digestion, clearing dietary fat, lowering blood pressure, and promoting regular bowel movements
Why people make this soup
In hot, humid weather, a vegetable soup often suits the body better than something heavy. This is especially true for people who eat out often, take in a lot of meat, and rarely cook vegetables at home. Jicama (sha ge, also known as liang shu) is a particularly useful ingredient in this context — its flesh is crisp, mildly sweet, and rich in dietary fiber, which supports gut motility. Traditionally, it is associated with clearing heat, supporting digestion, helping to reduce blood lipids, and even easing the effects of alcohol. Chayote and carrot add their own gentle sweetness to the broth, while figs contribute natural moistening properties. The cashew nuts play a practical nutritional role too: certain vitamins — A, D, E, and K — are fat-soluble, meaning the body absorbs them far more readily in the presence of a little fat. Adding a handful of cashews to an otherwise fat-free vegetable soup makes the whole thing more nutritionally complete.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Excellent for people who eat heavily or who have a diet rich in meat and low in vegetables
- Suitable for most people including children and the elderly
- Those with cashew allergy should substitute another nut or legume (chestnuts, soybeans, or peanuts all work)
- No significant contraindications for this soup
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Jicama (sha ge / liang shu): Cool and mildly sweet; associated with clearing heat, supporting digestion, reducing blood lipids and blood pressure, and counteracting the effects of alcohol; the high fiber content supports intestinal regularity
- Chayote (he zhang gua): Gentle and neutral; associated with nourishing the stomach, supporting the liver, and clearing mild heat
- Carrot (hong luo bo): Rich in beta-carotene; associated with supporting eye health, nourishing the spleen and stomach, and general vitality
- Dried figs (wu hua guo): Moistening and sweet; associated with soothing the throat, supporting bowel movement, and gently nourishing
- Cashew nuts (yao guo): Provide healthy fat to support absorption of fat-soluble vitamins from the vegetables; also contribute magnesium and zinc
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jicama (sha ge / liang shu) | 1 medium | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Chayote (he zhang gua) | 1 medium | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Carrot (hong luo bo) | 1 medium | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Dried figs | 4 pieces | Halve each piece |
| Cashew nuts | 37 g | Soak and rinse |
| Water | 7 bowls (approx. 1.4 L) | Simmered down to about 4 bowls |
Method
- Peel jicama — the easiest method is to press a small knife into the top of the vegetable and peel the skin away in strips, rather than using a vegetable peeler.
- Peel chayote and carrot and cut into chunks. Halve the figs.
- Soak and rinse cashews.
- Combine all ingredients in a pot with about 7 bowls of water. Bring to a boil.
- Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour until liquid reduces to approximately 4 bowls.
- Serve warm; eat both the soup and the solids.
Bro Niu’s tips
When peeling jicama, use a small knife pressed against the top of the vegetable and pull the skin away in strips — it comes off more cleanly and with less waste than a peeler.
Adding cashew nuts — or any nut — to a vegetable soup is a practical trick: the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) in the vegetables can only be absorbed properly with a little fat present. Without any fat in the meal, much of the nutritional value of the vegetables goes to waste.
If you have a cashew allergy, any other nut or legume works — chestnuts, soybeans, peanuts, or walnuts.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (步印): If I am allergic to cashews, what can I substitute? Bro Niu: You can replace cashews with any nut or legume — for example chestnuts, soybeans, and so on.
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Q (may): I have severe constipation — very rare bowel movements, and when they come the stool is hard and small. What soups can help? Bro Niu: Try cooking a sweet potato porridge in the mornings. You can also make a soup with night-blooming cereus (ba wang hua), carrot, almonds, and figs with lean pork — this supports softer stools. Also try drinking pure prune juice daily and increase your water intake and fresh vegetable consumption.
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Q (Miss Mak): I am 47 years old and my left ankle swells every afternoon. What can I drink? Bro Niu: Try simmering adzuki beans and hyacinth beans (1 liang each), poria mushroom (fu ling, 5 qian), winter melon skin (dong gua pi, 1 liang), and honey dates (mi zao, 2 pieces) in water for 1 hour. Drink as a daily tea for 3 consecutive days.
Published August 2, 2021 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
