Soups
Lotus Leaf, Winter Melon, Black-Eyed Pea and Duck Soup
Traditionally used to clear summer heat and drain dampness
Why people make this soup
When the days turn sweltering and you walk down the street sweating buckets with a heavy, foggy head, a cooling soup is one of the simplest comforts. Bro Niu picked up a fresh lotus leaf, paired it with winter melon, black-eyed peas and a lean rice-fed duck, and the result is wonderfully savoury. It is traditionally enjoyed to clear summer heat, promote urination and lighten that damp, heavy feeling — gentle enough for the whole family, young and old.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People feeling overheated and sluggish in hot, humid weather, or anyone who wants a light family soup in summer.
- Duck skin is quite fatty; trim it off, or swap in lean pork if you prefer. As with any rich soup, those with a very cold or weak digestion should go easy.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Fresh lotus leaf (he ye): Traditionally used in summer to clear heat and lift damp, foggy heaviness.
- Winter melon (dong gua): Long associated with clearing heat and promoting urination; cooked with the skin on it is considered especially cooling.
- Black-eyed peas (mei dou): Traditionally used to strengthen the spleen and help drain dampness.
- Duck (ya): A cooling meat in Chinese food tradition that pairs beautifully with winter melon; dried duck gizzard adds savoury depth.
Ingredients (about 5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh lotus leaf | half a leaf | cut into pieces |
| Winter melon | 600 g | keep skin on, cut into chunks |
| Black-eyed peas | ~40 g | rinsed and soaked |
| Rice-fed duck | half a duck | skin removed |
| Dried duck gizzards | 2 | rinsed and soaked |
| Fresh ginger | 2 slices |
Method
- Skin the duck, clean it well, then blanch in boiling water and drain.
- Wash the winter melon (skin on) and cut into chunks; cut the fresh lotus leaf into pieces; soak and rinse the black-eyed peas and duck gizzards.
- Place everything in a pot with 10 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer about 2 hours until reduced to roughly 5 bowls. Serve the soup together with the ingredients.
Bro Niu’s tips
Winter melon and duck are a classic, harmonious pairing, and adding dried duck gizzard makes it even more flavourful. Today’s chilled ducks are often very fatty with a thick layer of fat under the skin, so be sure to remove the skin before cooking.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (mi): My friend works outdoors, like on a construction site, exposed to the sun all day and sweating non-stop. What can I cook for him? Bro Niu: Take 2–3 tablespoons of floating wheat (fu xiao mai), dry-toast it in a pan until fragrant, put it in a tea bag, and brew it as tea for someone who sweats a lot. You can keep re-steeping it lighter and drink it all day. It is worth buying a few extra taels, toasting them, and bagging them so one bag a day saves time and effort.
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Q (anonymous reader): My husband had a low fever Saturday night, rested a day and felt better, but his tongue has a thick, wide coating with teeth marks. What soup suits him? Bro Niu: Try 5 qian astragalus (bei qi), 4 qian poria (fu ling), 4 qian white atractylodes (bai zhu), 3 qian hyacinth bean skin (bian dou yi) and 3 qian water plantain (ze xie); cook in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls. Three doses should show results.
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Q (hena): Is bitter melon, black-eyed pea and pork rib soup very effective for dampness? Can I add poria or Chinese yam, and some goji berries too? Bro Niu: Bitter melon, black-eyed pea and pork rib soup clears heat, relieves summer heat and drains damp — quite tasty. But people don’t usually add Chinese yam, poria or goji to this particular soup, because the flavours don’t go together well.
Published July 5, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
