Soups
Kudzu, Soybean & Job's Tears Pork Bone Soup
Traditionally supports healthy blood pressure and eases neck-and-back tension
Why people make this soup
I picked up a kind of green-skinned soybean in the countryside — freshly sun-dried, so the beans still looked green. Boiled into soup they turn back to yellow, but the broth comes out wonderfully sweet and clean. Kudzu (fen ge) is the star here: in Chinese food tradition it is the go-to root for cooling down a hot, restless body and for loosening a stiff, sore neck and upper back. Paired with soybeans, Job’s tears and pork bone, it makes a gentle everyday soup that many people drink to support steady blood pressure.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People with high blood pressure, headache, low-grade feverishness, a tight or aching neck and back, or a hot, irritable, restless feeling.
- If you have frequent night urination, traditional advice is to swap the raw Job’s tears for adzuki beans or hyacinth beans, which sit easier.
- This is a food, not a medicine — keep taking any prescribed blood-pressure medication and see your doctor.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Kudzu root (fen ge): Traditionally considered cooling and calming; long used to ease headache, neck-and-back stiffness, restlessness, and to support healthy blood pressure.
- Green soybeans (qing huang dou): A nourishing protein source that gives the soup its sweetness.
- Job’s tears (yi mi): Traditionally associated with draining dampness and supporting the spleen and stomach.
- Pork bones (zhu gu): Add body and a clean savoury depth.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kudzu root (fen ge) | ~600 g | Peeled, cut into chunks |
| Green soybeans (qing huang dou) | ~38 g | Rinsed; ordinary soybeans fine |
| Job’s tears (yi mi) | ~38 g | Rinsed |
| Pork bones | ~300 g | Blanched |
| Water | 8 bowls | Reduced to 4 |
Method
- Peel the kudzu and cut into chunks. Soak and rinse the soybeans and Job’s tears.
- Blanch the pork bones to remove scum, then drain.
- Put everything in a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Boil about 2 hours until reduced to 4 bowls. Eat the soup together with the solids.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is also helpful when a cold leaves your neck and back muscles tight and sore, with red eyes or scanty dark urine. If muscles ache after hard exercise, you can add about 38 g of fresh niu da li (Millettia root) to help relax the sinews. If you have frequent night urination, use adzuki and hyacinth beans instead of raw Job’s tears.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Rachel): If I can’t find kudzu (fen ge), can I use jicama (sha ge)? I can’t find kudzu in Taiwan. Bro Niu: They are different plants. Kudzu is neutral, clears heat, eases restlessness, and is traditionally used for cold-related headache, tight neck and back, and blood pressure. Jicama generates fluids and quenches thirst but is avoided by cold-constitution people, and does not replace kudzu’s actions. Fresh Chinese yam or fresh burdock is a better stand-in.
- Q (Fandy): If I have no green soybeans, can I use ordinary ones? Bro Niu: Yes, ordinary soybeans are fine.
- Q (CC): Should I use raw Job’s tears? I have frequent night urination but get damp easily — is this soup suitable? Bro Niu: If you have a lot of night urination, skip the raw Job’s tears and use adzuki beans and hyacinth beans instead — they suit you better.
Published April 20, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
