Kudzu Root & Job's Tears Soup

Why people make this soup

Nourilo couldn’t resist picking up two very fresh kudzu roots fresh off the truck. Kudzu root is a wonderful soup ingredient — sweet in taste, cooling in nature — and is traditionally associated with quenching thirst, easing restlessness, and relieving headache, fever, and a tight, stiff neck and upper back. In dry autumn weather, when the body feels parched and the mind restless, kudzu soup is traditionally used as a gentle support. This “kudzu and Job’s tears soup” is traditionally valued to clear heat, promote urination, and support healthy blood pressure.

Method

1. Peel the kudzu root and cut into chunks; soak and rinse the Job’s tears and tangerine peel.
2. Put everything in a pot with about 2.4 L of water.
3. Simmer about 2 hours, down to 0.9–1.2 L. Drink the soup and eat the ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

Kudzu root is traditionally associated with supporting circulation to the head, and so with easing headache, dizziness, neck stiffness and ringing ears. This soup is also traditionally favored by those concerned about blood sugar or rheumatic joint aches. For someone with sensitive digestion or unstable blood pressure, simmer it the full time and add an extra slice of ginger and tangerine peel.